And So, Hikigaya Hachiman Saves The Day
by AdanteYuroku
Summary: After a chance encounter that finds Hikigaya becoming a hero of sorts, he finds himself desperately trying not to be thanked for it...and failing at that effort.
1. Familiar Things Are Not Always Safe

**Author's Note:** This story is based sometime during the latest of the light novels, as such, there are possible spoilers for anyone who hasn't read up to there.

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Chapter 1: Familiar Things Are Not Always Safe.

We as people associate things that are familiar with safety. If you live in the same building long enough it becomes your "home" and you feel safe there. If you travel the same way to school over and over again you feel safe walking alone. There are endless examples of this in every part of our lives, but the solid truth is that the danger; what ever it may be, is still there. You could have the same chance of a wall collapsing and crushing you in your home regardless of if you've lived there a day or a decade. Walking down the same street over and over just makes your pattern predictable and leaves you more susceptible to thieves and other low characters. In other words, sometimes being familiar with things can leave you more defenseless then you would be with something new.

But I for one love patterns and familiar things.

Its a loners natural instinct to find the patterns of their life and of those around them and sink into them, possibly never to be seen again. So I, as a master level loner, could be thought of as someone who lives life on the dangerous side. For example, I just crossed the intersection on my bike when the crossing light was red. Truly I am wild and untamed. _I looked both ways three times and no one was coming but still!_

As I muse to myself with these thoughts I'm reminded of how I got on to this subject. I was currently on my way to the local community center, which is something I've done many times before hence sparking my thoughts on patterns and repetition. I was being sent there by the very person that made me familiar with the place to begin with. Isshiki Iroha.

She had once again been staying at the service club with us seemingly just to pass the time. I don't particular care and Yuigahama seems happy to have another person to mindlessly chat with. Yukinoshita on the other hand would stare daggers at me anytime Isshiki did something not to her liking. If there was anything to prove that being hit with something repeatably did not necessarily lessen its damage to you, it was the glare of Yukinoshita Yukino. _So cold._

To sum up the start of my "mission", right before we started to leave for the day Isshiki casually mentioned that the community center had gotten in contact with her and informed her that some documents regarding our usage of the room there for the Christmas fiasco still needed to be sighed by a representative of our group. The other school's student council had passed the task on to ours and Isshiki in turn was trying to pass it on to me. Outsourcing at its best. At first I firmly refused, explaining that she could have easily done it during the time she had spent with us but as always her slyness knew no bounds.

 _I've just been so busy with the student council AND the soccer club you knooooooow? Be a good Senpai and do it for me alright?_

Having had trouble denying her larger request and with no help coming from Yuigahama or Yukinoshita (I don't blame them), I reluctantly agreed. Thus here I was in the almost abandoned streets of Chiba watching the sun give its last rays of light to the Earth before retiring for the day. It really wasn't a big deal, but I had mentally prepared myself for a nice relaxing time at home and yet here I was in the still bitterly cold outdoors. I started to wonder if I was going to be responsible for everything Isshiki does for the rest of my life. The image of her on her wedding day riding a carriage appeared in my head, but of course a horse would be to expensive so naturally she'd use me. _Come on Sennnnpai, pull harder your going to make me late!_ The thought alone made me shudder. The mental image made me gag.

Then as if an answer to my prayers the community center came into view. I slowed my pace and hopped off my bike. As I had done many times before I parked and chained it in the correct place. I shouldn't be long but you can't be to careful, especially with a tool that lightens your work load. As I turned the corner on my way to the entrance I pulled my scarf snugly around my neck. As I pictured myself snugly covered up at home the real scene in front of me pulled me out of my day dream.

At first all I saw was a man's back covered in a green jacket. I thought nothing of it. He was a few steps away so I simply moved to the left until my shoulder brushed the wall. With my view changed by my movement I noticed that he was slightly hunched over and looking down at something. After two more steps I could see that the something was a someone.

It was a little girl. Her hair was a shade of silver and it was being held up in two ponytails. She was wearing overalls with a yellow shirt underneath and strangely enough no winter wear despite it being as cold was it was. The overwhelming feeling that I had seen her before come over me. _Something about going with Isshiki to a place with kids? Ahh yes that's right. I had meet th_ _is_ _girl before...and I kn_ _o_ _w her older sister? Yes! Her name was...I can't remember. I can picture her face scowling at me clear as day and yet all I remember about her name is that I have trouble remembering it. I know I thought of something to help me remember, something about motorcycles maybe?...and even though this isn't the time to think of such things an image involving black lace was stuck in my_ _brain_ _._

All of these thoughts pounded away in my head as I came to a stop. I could now see them both clearly. Neither of them seemed to notice my presence. Not surprising. The man was in his thirties if I had to guess. His hair was starting to thin and what was left of it was a mess. He was sweating profusely and his eyes were wide and starting down at the girl. I know I'm the last person who should judge anyone else by their appearance alone, but he looked like he was the living embodiment of a creep. Having sized him up my eyes looked down at the girl and that's when I noticed it.

She was absolutely terrified.

Her eyes were wide. She was holding her small hands in front of her and was gripping the clothing at her legs. Her whole body trembled beyond her control making her hair bouncing a little with every small movement of her head. Her mouth would open a little and then close again as if she was trying to say something but nothing would come out. It appeared to be a very primal fear. A lot like when a dear sees a human for the first time I imagine. She didn't know what she was looking at but her instincts were screaming at her that this new thing was dangerous and that she had to get away. But she just couldn't will herself to move.

The whole sight made me feel kind of sick.

"Listen...its...its not that far away. It'll be fun I promise!" the man half muttered and half screeched out. Even his voice was dripping with creepiness. He evidently didn't like her lack of a response so he took a step forward and raised his voice.

"Look just-"

"Oi"

They both followed the sound of my voice and looked at me. I stared back at him with a look I intended to be at least somewhat intimidating but I was never really good at such a thing. The three of us stood their motionless for a few seconds before his and my eyes where drawn to a quick movement below us. Before I knew what was happening I felt two small arms wrap around my left leg. I looked down to see that the girl now stood behind me with her head buried into the back of said leg. She squeezed harder and I winced in pain. Hey she was stronger then she looks. It was then that she looked up at me from her little hiding spot. Her turquoise eyes were full of tears as she gave me a pleading look. _Oi Oi, I'm pretty much a stranger to you. Don't be so trusting._ I thought, but I tried to give her my best reassuring look. I'm not very good at those either but I think she understood as she again hide her face in the black fabric of my pants.

I looked back up to see Creeper-san was still there. He had turned around and was facing me. Allowing me to see that he was now practically drenched in sweat. _Gross._ His face was contorted with a strange mix of what I can only describe as anger and surprise. He clinched his fist as his eyes darted all around a looking to see if anyone else was there I think. Having found no one his eyes again fell on me. For a moment he bent down as if to get into some sort of charging stance but then he stood up right and angrily raked his hand through his hair. I stared blankly at him through all this with the same face I had tried to do when he first looked at me. His eyes darted up and down as if he was sizing me up. At this point I was tired of looking at him. I took a step forward with my free leg and the sound seemed to echo in the empty street. Having seen me do this the man instantly jerked back. His eyes made one more quick look around before he turned and ran down the sidewalk.

I remained frozen for a few seconds before letting out a sigh. The gravity of the situation was not lost on me while it was happening but it now felt very surreal. I looked down again at the head full of silver hair and the fog around my memories of her began to clear.

"Keika? Kawasaki Keika?" I asked softly. After a few moments she corrected me.

"...Kei-chan" she said barely above a whisper.

Having little experience with kids other then Komachi and with no experience in a situation like this I was at a loss as to what in the world I was suppose to do. She was still shaking but this time I was pretty sure it was from the cold as small puffs of white were coming from my leg. I knew what to do from there.

"Inside. Lets get inside."

The door to the community center was about ten steps in front of us. I stared to walk thinking she would instinctively let go but she didn't and I stumbled after I took a step. I sheepishly looked down at her and tried gently pushing on her shoulder to pry her off of me only to be meet with the saddest look of betrayal I'll likely ever see. _Alright, so that's not an option, and picking her up would be weird to so..._

I then began to hobble my way to the door while swinging my right leg farther out to give me the needed balance to keep both of us up right. When I reached the door I turned us around so that my right side entered first. This was done to protect the cargo on my left from possibly being damaged. As I entered the building I could feel that the heaters were doing their jobs and I let the bliss of their warmth wash over me. Having no idea what else to do I immediately began to make my way to the receptionist. Her eyes went to me and we shared a glance of recognition between us. Isshiki had called ahead and told them I was on my way. I doubt she would have remembered me otherwise. As I got closer she turned and grabbed a stack of papers before wheeling around again.

"I have everything ready right here for you!" she said cheerfully once I reached her desk. It was evident she had yet to notice the "package" I was carrying. But the look on my face must have revealed that I was in a predicament because her cheerful expression changed to one of worry.

"Are you..." she began but then her eyes went to the silver hair sprouting from my leg.

"I uhhhh...think we need to call the police?"

 _ **TBC.**_

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 ** _Well what can I say? I love this series to death and I was so inspired by all the great fanfics that are popping up that I felt I had to give it a try. I hope to update this story at least once a week and I plan for it to have about five chapters. After that I have other ideas for stories that I want to try but we're get to that down the road. Oh and I tried my best to match the style of the light novel and I'd be really interested if you could tell me if I got close or not. Other then that if you feel like leaving a review then by all means do so. I'd appreciate it. :)_**


	2. The Words I Don't Want To Hear

**Author's Note:** Thanks so much for the reviews! I can't believe how much interest there is in this story and I'm trying my best to live up to the expectations. I went back and fixed some of the mistakes that were pointed out in the first chapter as well, there may be a few more that I missed but for now I'm focusing on not making the same mistakes in the chapters to come. That's all for now, here is chapter two.

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Chapter Two: The Words I Don't Want To Hear.

If there is one thing the human race does more then lie, it's making assumptions.

But in this world made primarily of lies, what choice do we have? Can people actually understand each other? I use to have a solid answer to that question but recently...it's not so clear. Even so, people make assumptions to fill in the gaps between us. I'm no different. I try to think before acting most of the time and I make logical assumptions based on observation, but that does not absolve me of it. A logical assumption is not that different from a logical guess. Still, it would make things so much easier if people tried it my way. People often make poor assumptions without thinking.

I was grimly reminded of this fact when two caregivers from the nursery next door frantically entered the lobby of the community center in search of a certain young child that had gone missing under their care. One was an older woman who seemed to be in a position of authority. The other was much younger and gave the impression that she was new to her job. Their attention was drawn to me naturally, as a teenage boy standing awkwardly with a small child wrapped around his leg stands out fairly well. They took one look at me and the glare of accusation was immediate. Accusing questions were fired my way repeatedly and even as I gave them my side of the events that had just taken place they seemed unsatisfied with my words. I will admit that it...unnerved me some, which made me feel very much like being brutally honest and explaining that none of this would have happened if they had being doing their jobs, but I surprised myself and kept my mouth shut. It really wouldn't help the situation after all. Plus it's much easier to call out someone my own age on their faults but it's a bit harder for adults. Except for Hiratsuka-sensei, but she's an easy target and barely acts like an adult anyway. Where was I? Ahh yes being treated like a criminal. Luckily the receptionist came to my defense and corroborated my story. This seemed to put the two of them at ease and they apologized. She went on to explain that the police had already being called and they had in turn contacted Keika's family. We were told to wait at the community center for an officer to arrive so we could make statements and everything could be sorted out. To make a long story somewhat short, Keika's winter clothing was retrieved, we awkwardly waited for the police to arrive, he made it there roughly twenty five minutes after the event had occurred, then we all began to piece together all that had taken place.

Apparently, Keika has a bad habit of wondering off, as evident by our first encounter with each other. Most of the time her expeditions were a way for her to see her precious Saa-chan sooner and this was no different as she let us know. Though she was being very unresponsive and was only using nods to answer any questions asked of her. She eventually made her way outside and that's when I found her. Her caregivers gave the excuse of being under staffed for the day as the reason it was all possible. Truly outstanding adults. I sensed that the officer may have shared my opinion on them but was better at hiding it. He reminded me of Hayama in that way. After taking down their information and giving them his card he told them they were free to go and should return next door. It then became my turn to be questioned and that's where I found myself at the moment.

"Hmmm...yes we've had reports of a man matching that description in the area recently..." the man who had introduced himself as Officer Matsuo explained absentmindedly. He was quite young, really only a hand full of years older than me, and he had a very youthful and optimistic atmosphere around him. This of course repulsed me but there wasn't much I could do about it.

"And he said nothing to you correct?"

"Not a thing." I answered and shifted my weight from one leg to the other. Keika's vice grip had continued and by now my leg was nearly completely numb. _It's totally going to fall off any minute. I can already hear Yukinoshita's jokes 'Your argument is completely one legged Hikigaya-kun...oh...my apologies.' she then gracefully covers her mouth and laughs ever so softly. That can not be allowed to happen!_

"And he ran north, is that right?" he asked dragging me out of my potential nightmares.

"Y-yeah"

A slightly cheerful nod was his only response before he continued writing for a few moments. I felt his optimism was a little misplaced given the gravity of the situation, but I suppose a normal person who has to constantly deal with the worst and weakest parts of humanity would have no choice but to always look on the bright side of things. Note to self, never become a cop.

He finished writing with a sigh and placed his writing pad and pencil into a pocket on his vest.

"Well I guess I'm all done with you. All that's left is to wait for Kei-chan's family hmm?" he asked and looked down at her. She stared at him for a few seconds before nodding to confirm she had heard him. Matsuo then looked back to me and his tone became a little more serious.

"It really is a good thing that you were there. It could have been... _very bad,_ but luckily nothing happened."

I understood that he couldn't be descriptive as Keika was there but it felt more like he was talking down to me, as if I was perhaps too young or innocent to be talking about such adult things. It annoyed me to no end. I knew full well what had been avoided here today, though I planned to thoroughly push it from my mind for as long as I live. Once again I knew better than to make the situation worse.

"Yeah...but I didn't do anything really." I agreed halfheartedly.

"Modesty, that's a good trait to have."

 _Only someone that actually did something has a right to be modest about it._ I thought and sighed. Just then the door which was to Matsuo's back popped open with a loud bang. Matsuo instantly turned and our eyes went to the person who had just entered.

The first thing I noticed was the way her ponytail bounced softly in rhythm with her slightly labored breaths. Her turquoise eyes went first to Matsuo and then widened when they fell upon me. She took a step forward and wiped the few beads of sweat from her forehead with the sleeve on her free hand. Her other hand held on to her school bag and she seemed to consider dropping it as she took steps towards us. _She must have been at cram school._ I thought. Finally she tossed it against the wall to her right and stood in front of Matsuo with some pose but was still very unsettled.

Kawasaki Saki was in a panic.

"I was told Kei-chan uhh Kawasaki Keika was here and that she had been involved with something that needed the police. I'm her sister Kawasaki Saki. Our mom's on the way." she stumbled a little with her words but she seemed to try and sound calm. Her face, which was drowned in concern, said otherwise.

"No need to worry Kei-chan is fine, she's right here." Matsuo explained smoothly and motioned his hand in the direction of my left leg.

Kawasaki followed his gesture and at first looked at me with a 'why are you here' stare of confusion to which I had no idea how to respond. Her eyes then fell to Keika and her expression changed to one of relief. She got a little closer and extended her arms in front of her as if she was preparing to reach down and pick her up. But as if remembering I was there she stopped abruptly and swiftly returned her hands to her sides. I was thankful for this as it could have brought her to a close proximity of certain parts of my body that she should _not_ be in the close proximity to. Instead she decided to crouch down on her knee in front of us.

"S-so what happened?" she asked Matsuo and turned to him. She seemed flustered and little embarrassed for her earlier actions.

While Matsuo explained the events of the evening Kawasaki kept her eyes on Keika and range of emotions flashed across her face as he gave her the details. She would also take a few glances at me with wide eyes of surprise. The entire time the small pair of eyes partially hiding behind me looked back at her with what I can only describe as...uncertainty. It was strange. I would have thought that she would immediately perk up when she got to see her beloved Saa-chan, but she was as scared as she was when I first found her. I got the feeling then that things weren't going to be that easy. I assumed she would be alright.

"I would let you leave with her but regulations require that I release her in the care of one of her guardians so we'll have to wait for your mother to arrive." Matsuo told her politely.

"It's fine...my Mom should be here soon..."

She seemed like she was in a daze with the serious nature of what had happened but also somewhat relieved that it wasn't worse. Still dazed she turned to Keika again and tried to seem cheerful.

"Kei-chan, it's alright now, I'm here."

Kawasaki opened her arms as if signaling for Keika to come to her. Silence fell and the entire room remained motionless. Then as if feeling everyone's eyes on her, Keika clutched my pants desperately. She looked up to me and I was completely caught off guard by the look she gave me. It was almost like...she was asking for permission. _No, that's not right. It's more like she wants me to confirm it's safe._ But having been put on the spot I had no idea what to say or do. Getting nothing from me, she hid her face entirely behind my leg. I then looked back at Kawasaki.

The mix of shock and hurt on her face was painful to look at.

If there was one thing that I could identify as being absolutely true about Kawasaki Saki, it was that she loved her family. So I can only imagine that the fact her little sister would choose to seek comfort and protection from someone like _me_ instead of her, must have crushed her. As for Keika, it made it clear to me that she was more effected by this than I thought. The few times I had seen her she was a normal happy kid but even with the person who was probably closer to her than anyone she was drowning in uncertainty and fear. No one moved or said anything and the awkwardness of it all was setting in. The feeling that I needed to do or say something was taking over. But it's a personal matter between them isn't it? I didn't want to make anything worse by pretending I knew how they felt...but _something_ needed to be done.

I looked down at Keika but was unsure about what to call her. Calling any girl solely by her first came was still kind of embarrassing.

"Kei-chan..." I decided on and in doing so gained the attention of everyone in the room. I reached down and gently pushed on her shoulder and this time she obliged me and let go. I took a note out of Kawasaki's book and kneeled on one knee in front of her. Then I took a breath to stall a little because I still wasn't sure if what I had to say would help at all. _But I have to try._

"You know, I have a little sister too. Her name is Komachi. You may have met her before. She makes fun of me way more than she probably should but...she's helped me out more then I've probably ever helped her. I'm not the best big brother but she puts up with me anyway. I...I really love her for that. And so, I think I know how your big sister must be feeling right now. She loves you very much and when she heard that something bad might have happened to you she got really scared. So it's up to you to make her feel better, alright?"

She looked at me as if in awe and then looked at Kawasaki who had a similar expression. With their gaze on each other I took that as my cue and stood up to walk away. I walked a few steps to relieve the stiffness in my leg before hearing small feet patter across the floor.

"Saa-chan!"

"Kei-chan!"

Looking over my shoulder I saw Kawasaki and Keika embracing each other with varying levels of success at holding back tears. They started to speak softly to each other and I turned away in an effort to drown them out. It wasn't any of my business to be listening to them.

My logical mind had given me a way to help the situation. Children feel powerless because ultimately they are, but through experience they learn that a person that gives comfort is someone who one way or another is in a position of power over someone else. In some ways the person giving comfort receives more things then the one receiving it. By that way of thinking, giving her the position of power as the comforter was something to help her feel more secure. At least that's how I saw it. I wish I could see it as just two sisters that love each other, maybe someday I will.

Having nothing left to do I walked over to Matsuo. He gave me a look that screamed 'good job' and it made me feel extremely uncomfortable.

"You're done with me right?" I asked in a hushed voice.

"Yes" he answered and handed me his card. "If you see him again or remember anything you think is important let us know right away."

I took the card and nodded as I slid it into my pocket. I needed to get home. I had sent Komachi a text telling her I'd be late but not this late. I'm sure she's getting annoyed by now and when that happens bad ideas get into her head that usually leads to me doing things I don't want to.

I nod again and start to take my leave. As I walk pass the Kawasaki sisters I intentionally look away to give them the best privacy I can. I'm about to reach for the door when a voice stops me.

"I never thought ya were the type to be good with kids."

"Because I'm not. Kids are pretty easy to understand. It's when people get older that they become puzzles that are impossible to figure out." I say back without looking at her. Nothing is said for a moment and I reach for the door again.

"Than-"

"See you at school."

With that I opened the door and all but ran out of it. I didn't slow my pace until I reached my bike and then I had to deal with the bitter coldness of the outside world. As I worked to unchain my bike I mocked myself by muttering 'see you at school' and rolling my eyes. It was the only thing I could think of to stop her from saying _those words_. The ones I didn't want to hear. The ones I didn't deserve to hear.

After mounting my bike I started to peddle away and the cold wind struck my face. I preoccupied my mind with thoughts of how warm home was and how there was a coffee max that I had made Komachi promise not to drink.

It wasn't until I turned the first corner that I realized I had forgotten to sign the papers.

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The next day at school was mundane for the most part.

The most eventful part of the day for me at least was in the early morning. As I sat there at my desk deep in my own thoughts Kawasaki arrived and visions of an unbelievably awkward exchange between us appeared in my mind and I braced for impact, but it never came. She walked by and simply nodded, which had become our routine if our eyes happened to meet in the morning. I nodded back with relief. It wasn't all that surprising as I'm sure she wanted to avoid any awkwardness as well. With that out of the way the normal routine of the school day came and went. After classes were done I waited in my usual spot for Yuigahama. Although our definitions of what constituted waiting for her were still different.

"You could totally just stand in the classroom and wait you know." she huffed.

"I'd just be blocking the walk way." _Plus it would make me look like your servant or something._

"Plenty of the others do it. One more person won't make a difference."

"I thought you knew me well enough by now to know that I don't like following crowds."

"Ohhh you're impossible sometimes." she fired back and began to playfully beat me on my shoulder with her small fist. By now we had reached the other building and the hallway wasn't as crowded. Meaning we were alone.

"Is it because you don't like being seen with me or something?" she asked sheepishly and watched her feet. She didn't seem sad but she was far from happy. Basically being caught somewhere in the middle of the two.

"It's...not like that really..." I started to say. She looked at me with _that look_ and it was hard for me to finish my thought. "Tomorrow...if it really matters to you, I can try it I guess."

She instantly perked up and there was such a change in the energy of her step that hair on the side of her head bounced happily.

"I look forward to it!"

"Senpaaaaaaai! Yuigahama-senpai!" we heard come behind us followed by rapped footsteps that got closer and closer like we were about to be hit by a train. _The Isshiki Express doesn't care what it runs over!_

"Oh Iroha-chan!"

"Y-yo"

She caught up to us and stopped by my side making me the person in the middle.

"Business with the Service Club?" Yuigahama asked happily.

"Nooooo. I actually just needed to talk with Senpai real quick and I knew he'd be over here at this time." she said back in an equally happy tone. _So in other words you set a trap?_ The fact that I had failed to accomplish her request from yesterday hit me and I was filled with dread.

"Well what is it?" I asked and braced myself.

"Oh I just wanted to know if you completed the errand I asked about."

I stopped walking and the two of them turned to look at me. We had just reached the stairs too. The only person I had told about the events of last night was Komachi and I only did that because I could _not_ tell Komachi. It felt like it was for the best of everyone involved if I kept it that way.

"Uhh actually I didn't. Something came up and I lost track of time. I'm really sorry."

I was meet with two faces of slight surprise followed by two of understanding. I wasn't sure what to make of it so I continued. "I can do it today if you want."

"No that's fine. I can do it myself." Isshiki explained and waved her hand in the air making her sleeves dance.

"You sure?"

"Yep. I have some things to do today anyway so it won't be a big deal." she continued and readjusted the bag on her shoulder. She looked at me with one of her usual smiles but this time I couldn't feel any ulterior motive coming from it. It's hard to describe how it made me feel. On one hand I was happy and glad that she seemed to be growing but on the other I felt like a toy she had gotten tired of playing with but she would still keep on her shelf to stare at fondly. Not exactly a good feeling to be had.

"Well alright, sorry again."

"It's fine reaaallly. Well I have to get going. See You!" she proclaimed and waved at Yuigahama who returned her wave energetically. Isshiki started to walk past me but then as if out of the corner of her eye she saw my sleeve and grabbed it.

"Don't worry. I'll be around to see how your search is going Senpai." she said just above a whisper and grinned at me with a look full of her usual slyness. _So this toy isn't done being played with after all then?_

With that she practically skipped away and I couldn't hold back a smile.

"Hikki, what was that about?" Yuigahama asked with the confusion evident in her voice.

"I barely understand myself."

As if knowing it was the best answer she would get, she left it at that and we made our way to the club room. When we arrived the smell of tea and the warmth of the club room greeted us. As well as our club President of course. We exchanged our normal greetings, sat in our normal spots and started the normal Service Club activities. Which consisted of both girls talking about the usual things and on occasion I would give my opinion on something. It was a normal routine we had done countless times before this but I found myself enjoying it a little more each time.

Some time had passed and Yuigahama was busy chatting away.

"...and I didn't know what color to get so I didn't buy it but now I feel kind of mad at myself for not getting it because it was really cute."

"Quite an ordeal." Yukinoshita replied and took an impossibly graceful sip of tea.

"Hikki, what do you think?"

 _Like I know anything about fashion._

I was about to give an answer when two fairly hard knocks were made on the door. We all exchanged looks of surprise as we had explained to Yukinoshita that our most reliable customer wasn't go to be here today.

"Come in."

The door slid open swiftly and in walked none other then Kawasaki Saki and her eyes immediately went to me.

 _ **TBC.**_

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 **Well there's chapter two, I hope you enjoyed it. Sorry for making you all wait so long for it but I was glad I was able to reach my goal of updating within the week. I hope to continue to update at that pace for the duration of this story. Review if you like, I really appreciate it.**


	3. The Blade Of Gratitude Will Surely

**Authors Note:** I failed you all! The update is so late! What shall be my punishment?! Stoning? Firing Squad? I personally like Seppuku. What ever must be done to make up for taking so long! Seriously though, sorry for this chapter taking so long. It was the hardest for me to write so far and I struggled with it but here it is. The previous two chapters have also been revised by a beta reader so hopefully any mistakes in those have been fixed. I hope there aren't to many in this one. I REALLY appreciate the reviews as well, I hope you all continue to enjoy the story. With that said, here's Chapter Three.

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Chapter Three: The Blade Of Gratitude Will Surely Strike Him.

Her eyes weren't on me long as the moment I looked back at her she avoided my gaze.

"S-sorry for interrupting." She said to no one in particular.

"Kawasaki-san, please come in." Yukinoshita spoke calmly.

Her long legs made quick strides and before I knew it she was standing behind the chair in front of us. With arms held firmly at her sides as if she was standing at attention she spoke again. The tension in the room was thick and Yuigahama gave me a troubled glance. All I could muster was a look of confusion.

"I know this is the Service Club, but I don't have a request. I just need to speak with one of your members in private..." she stopped her very rehearsed sounding speech and looked back at me. My only response being the shuffling of my feet in discomfort.

"But only if its alright with you." she finished and looked back at Yukinoshita, as did everyone else in the room. This made me feel a bit like a dog that Kawasaki was asking to pet. Which is ridiculous because Yukinoshita would never own a dog.

It was well known that these two did no get along well when they first met, but it had felt like at least to me that distance and time had smoothed things over. I also think its why Kawasaki seemed to be making an extra effort to be polite

"I don't see why not..." Yukinoshita answered softly, but the look on her face was hard to read. "Its not like I have any say in the private lives of my members anyway correct?"

As if not being sure how to respond Kawasaki hesitated a moment before answering.

"Thank you, it shouldn't take long." she then shot me a glare that I interpreted as an instruction to follow her. With that she turned and stared walking out of the room

Sighing, I stood up and placed my book on the table before making the necessary few steps to the door. As I opened it I looked back and saw Yuigahama and Yukinoshita staring at me with uncertainty. I gave them an apologetic look before stepping into the hall way and closing the door behind me.

Kawasaki had taken a few steps away from the door and was leaning on the wall. After pushing herself off the wall she turned to me before letting out a sigh which made her whole demeanor soften and she looked quite flustered.

"Sorry, I would have said something to ya earlier but...ya know..."

I most certainly did know. For one person to suddenly ask another person that they don't normally speak with to talk with them in private in a place where several other people can witness said event was asking for trouble. Not for a wall flower like me of course but for her.

"I understand, so..." I trailed off not sure what else to say.

She stared at me as if she was irritated that I didn't keep the conversation going. _Hey you asked to talk to me remember?_ After a few moments passed and it was clear I wasn't going to say anything she finally spoke up.

"A-alright its like this. My mom came and picked us up last night from the community center. Everything was normal until Keika starting going on and on about 'Haa-chan this!' and 'Haa-chan that!' it was weird. Shes like... obsessed with ya now. Anyway, my parents wanted me to explain so I told them ya were my classmate and then they got on _my_ case saying stuff like 'you didn't properly show your gratitude' and all this other crap and so well...uhhhh...they told me I have to invite you and your family to our house for dinner. Umm whenever is best for you."

"I...see." was my only response. Because what else can I say to that?

"Yeah so, whats your answer?" she asked with her impatiences strikingly visible.

I don't blame her for being irritated by the whole thing. Just about everyone has been in that situation before. Your parents forcing you to go out of the way to make you, and by extension them, seem like the epitome of kind and generous people. Its all just a ploy to save or make face of course. If the child acts like a brat then the parents have to endure the stares of disapproval from everyone around them. They become so insecure about things that they feel desperate to make it clear to the world that they are raising their children properly. This then forces their children to constantly be hit with questions to confirm their status as a 'good kid' in the eyes of the world have been upheld. _Did you thank them for letting you stay over? Were you polite? Did you offer to help?_ Of course I've only heard those questions mostly through observation as my parents have all but given up on the idea of the world seeing me in a good light. Hence the fact that they ask Komachi those questions all the time. It really is a pain. Just another layer of masks and lies that make up this world.

…...Or maybe the Kawasaki family is actually nice?

Either way, an answer to the question presented to me was not clear. On one hand the chance at free food, at free _home cooked_ food, was not something I wanted to pass up. But on the other, all I could imagine is the awkward scene of me eating in front of a group of strangers as they stare at me like I was side show attraction. The whole time having to receive their gratitude for not really doing anything. Tough choice.

At this point Kawasaki looked like she was about to violently end my life if I didn't give her an answer. I gulped, it was at this point that a simple thought came to me. _What about her?_ It may not be as simple as her offering and me excepting or rejecting. Her parents could be the type to think a rejection would be a failure on her part and thus she would be forced to ask again. Or worse, that they would ask themselves. It was in following this train of thought that I finally spoke.

"If I said no...would that be bad for you?"

"Look if you don't wanna then just-"

"No that's not what I mean." I interrupted. _I'm trying to be considerate here dammit!_ But of course I can't say that because then I wouldn't be considerate anymore. After jamming my hands in my pockets I decided to try and make myself a little more clear. "What would be good for _you_?"

This question seemed to catch her off guard. Her expression, which had held murderous intent a second ago, softened and she looked to the ground. She then looked to the side as if she was remembering something with fondness before returning to a more neutral expression while looking back at me.

"I think...it would make Kei-chan happy if you came..."

 _Playing the little sister card, how underhanded._ I rubbed the back of my neck and Keika's frighted face flared in my memory.

"She's...doing alright then?" I asked off topic.

"Yeah, she perked up when our Mom showed up." Kawasaki answered with a soft nod. I could tell she was being honest...but still my own curiosity on how well she was doing was getting the better of me. After seeing her so shaken I couldn't help but want to see that she was well. I'm sure it was just my brotherly instincts going to work. With the chance to satisfy my curiosity and the offer of food I didn't have to pay or work for, I knew I was trapped. I thought for a little longer before speaking.

"I doubt either of my parents would have the time but...with tomorrow night being Friday I think Komachi should be free and I don't have any plans. Does that work?"

I looked back at her and a slight look of surprise was on her face that she instantly covered up.

"Y-yeah, that should work. Is seven fine?"

"Sure." I answered plainly.

With that we stood there in the empty hallway with nothing but the noise of the schools ineffective heating system to accompany us. Then as if suddenly realizing that she was the one that was suppose to leave she slung her bag over her shoulder and turned around.

"See ya."

"Yeah."

And after a few steps Kawasaki disappeared down the lonely hallway. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding and instantly felt more relaxed. I was tired of the coldness of the hallway and I wanted to return to the warmth of the clubroom.

As I turned to reach for the door I heard the quick and uneven stamping of footsteps followed by the screeching of a chair being pulled across the floor coming from the room, but I'll pretend I didn't hear it because it would invite far more trouble than its worth.

Upon opening the door I was greeted with Yuigahama sitting with her arms stretched out on the table in front of her while panting like she had just run a marathon. She immediately straightened up when she saw me and tried to control her breathing. This made her look like she was holding her breath and the ridiculous expression on her face with her puffed out cheeks made me want to laugh and feel pity at the same time. Yukinoshita looked at her with disapproval, much like a mother would her child. She then turned to me with a stern yet apologetic look that easily conveyed what she wanted to say to me without the need for words. _You know what she was doing, don't make it a big deal._

"Yo."

"H-Hikki hey! W-what was that about? I mean its not like you have to tell us if you don't want to or anything! Uhh sit down!...if you want? Heehee" Yuigahama rambled.

My first instinct was to be very vague or even out right lie about the whole thing. The entire incident was starting to get a little...embarrassing. It wasn't something I would want to talk about with anyone really. I'm sure if I waved it off as something unimportant and irrelevant to them that they would oblige me and not press the issue, even if they were unbearably curious. It really was something they shouldn't have to bother with. It was just easier to not tell them...but then I remembered. I remembered being in this very spot before, standing in front of them, with their eyes on me waiting to hear what I have to say. I remembered the words I said then. The selfish words that blurted out of my mouth. The thing I wished for. _So shouldn't I..._

"It...kind of all started yesterday..."

So I tell them virtually everything. Pretty much the same way I told Komachi. I'm really getting tired of telling this story over and over. I don't give details about some things however, mostly about Kawasaki's reactions to the whole thing. It had felt that I had witnessed something private and that it should stay private. This really was a pain. I'm only doing this to avoid awkwardness down the road. Yukinoshita is a private person by nature and wouldn't try to press the issue but Yuigahama was a different story. She would try to act like she doesn't care but eventually curiosity would consume her and as she usually sets the pace in the clubroom the mood would sink to the depths of the sea. Yukinoshita would then blame me and the worst part would be that she'd be partially right. So this was just to help avoid that! Nothing else... _probably._

I eventually found my way back to my normal seat at the end of the table before I wrapped up my explanation.

"How scary! I hear about that kind of thing happening on the news sometimes but like, its really creepy to know it happened so close to where I live! Did they catch him?!" Yuigahama asked desperately and hugged herself.

"No idea" I answered with my eyes firmly on my book.

She let out something resembling a shriek and hung her head as if in defeat. Yukinoshita, who had remained silent for a while, moved her hand in front of here as if she meant to reach out and touch the semi-distraught girl in an effort to comfort her. But just as it looked like she was about to do it Yuigahama started to raise her head and the Ice Queen's hand went swiftly back to her lap. _The distance is still to great, huh?_

"But still...I think what you did was...pretty cool Hikki." she said with cheer returning to her voice and a blush on her face.

"I didn't _do_ anything." was my only response. Perhaps I sounded harsher then I meant to because a heavy mood set in the moment the words left my lips. And thus the thing that was trying to be avoided was hit dead on. The story of my life. I was really getting tired of that though, the idea that I did anything worth praise or reward, but that was just starting it seemed.

As would be expected, Yuigahama immediately went into salvage mode.

"Oh! I guess you didn't! But...still...I...I really hope they catch that guy right!?" she blurted out and clapped her hands in emphasis. The echo she made was the only sound for a few seconds before our club President spoke.

"There's no need to worry Yuigahama-san, as I'm sure Hikigaya-kun's rotten eyes scared that man so badly that he would have no choice but to leave the country." her expression being ever so eloquent.

"So disappointing..." I say and gain both of the girls attention. "You went right for my eyes which you have used many times before. Not to mention things like that have been said about me by just about everyone. If you don't improve your insulting skills on such an easy target like me then your sword will become dull and when you meet someone you really want to insult you won't be nearly creative enough."

"You have a point. So is it fair to think of you as my personal grinding stone then?"

"They say 'everyone is good for something' right?"

Yukinoshita stared back at me as if she was greatly entertained and I can't help but smirk back. Yuigahama still held her hands in front of her and she looked back and forth between us with a dumbfounded expression.

"You guys...aren't fighting right?" the look in her eyes screamed that she was ready to play referee.

"Who knows?" I sighed and picked up my book.

"Indeed." Yukinoshita added and did the same.

"Wait no, that's like totally unfair! Somethings going on and you guys have to tell me!" Yuigahama whined. My eyes were glued to my book. Judging by the strained sounds of anguish coming from my classmate, our club president was probably doing the same.

Yuigahama ranted for a little while longer before collapsing on the table as if she were exhausted. With her face planted onto the wooden surface she muttered something along the lines of "you guys are hopeless" before letting out an overly dramatic sigh.

With that I started to feel relaxed. I needed that little exchange between Yukinoshita and myself, it was...refreshing. It was at this point that I decided to finally look to my left. With a quick glance I saw Yuigahama in her depressed state but I also saw two blue eyes staring back at me from across the table.

She didn't look at me in annoyance, or anger, or disapproval as it felt like she so normally did. It was an expression that carried...warmth in it. The only other time I can remember seeing her look at me like that was that night at Destinyland. A million questions without answers swirled in my head. Yukinoshita Yukino smiled at me before looking back down at her book and for lack of a better word, my heart sort of...fluttered.

But no one but me will ever need to know that.

* * *

I spent the entirety of the next day dreading what was to happen that night.

Normally the school days seemed to drag on and on but today it felt like it went speedily along. It was like I was forced to watch as the blade of the guillotine was falling down to relieve my body of its head. The "dinner party" as Komachi had dubbed it, was getting ever closer with every tick of the clock and there was nothing I could do. The only thing I found myself looking forward to was meeting Kawasaki's parents, whom I found myself suddenly getting very curious about. But before I knew it the school day was over and all that was left for me to do was go to the clubroom.

Oh and by the way, waiting for Yuigahama in the classroom was a disaster as I expected. As I stood in the walkway a male classmate walked by me and our shoes collided which caused him to very nearly stumble. I'm sure it had something to do with the fact that I normally didn't stand there (and at least to some degree that I so easily fade into the background.) Seriously though, someone could have died. Waiting for her in the classroom just wasn't a valid option. But when I explained this all to her she got very irritated at me and once again proclaimed that I was hopeless as well as demanded that I wait for her in the classroom next Monday. That's what I get for caring about my fellow classmates I guess.

The Service Club's activities were stagnate as always except for me having to explain that I would have to leave early that day. It turned out that Kawasaki's house was quite a distance from my own. So in order to return home, retrieve Komachi, and get there in time I would have to leave fairly early.

We had no request by the time I needed to leave and with an order to be on my best behavior from Yukinoshita and a request for details later on from Yuigahama, I was off.

The bike ride home was uneventful despite my best efforts to find something to deter my advance. _Sorry! I wanted to go but there was this twenty three car pile up and people needed saving!_ But no such undertaking took place and I made it home with time to spare. The blade was getting closer and closer.

Komachi needed extra time to get ready apparently and I wasted time by doing the painfully easy Japanese assignment that Hiratsuka-sensei had given us. Apparently there was a mixer for singles happening this weekend and she didn't have time to put much effort into her lesson plan for today. That poor, poor woman. If it wouldn't just be trading a night of headaches for a lifetime of them, I'd agree to marry her this night just to get out of this.

When my dear little sister finally announced she was ready I was informed that wearing my uniform was inappropriate for some reason. It seemed like a large waste of effort but it wasn't like I could refuse her. I threw on some causal clothes of Komachi's choosing and with that we were finally on our way.

While Kawasaki's house was quite far away the glory that is modern transportation gave us the gift of a relatively short ride. _Ancestors! I inwardly weep for your sore legs and lost time!_ The only down side of taking the train was of course how crowded it was and with it being a Friday night the liveliness of the crowd was quite annoying. As if sensing my irritation, Komachi made her usual small talk and it did wonders to make me feel at ease. Thank God for my little sister. In truth I would have never agreed to go if I didn't know she could go with me. She had a natural talent to hold conversations and keep things moving smoothly that I will never have. She will be my greatest ally into this dark abyss.

"I know you won't like it, but just try to be nice an accept their gratitude alright?"

I grumbled to myself and hung my head in defeat.

"You really did do something good Onii-chan, now I'll finally have something good to say when people ask about you!"

"I've already told you to tell them about my good grades in the humanities."

"That just implies you're bad in other subjects."

Damn, her logic was spot on. My teachings seem to be taking root. I'm so proud. We spent the rest of our ride occasionally speaking but also finding comfortable silences despite the noisy atmosphere. When it was time for us to get off we found ourselves in a relatively nice looking residential area. From there I let Komachi take the lead because she had actually already been there before a few times for study groups. It was at that time that I remembered I would be meeting Kawasaki Taishi again. _He better not call me **that.**_ We traveled a few blocks by foot until he came to a modest yet well kept looking home with a white door. No turning back now. We stood there in front of the door for a second or two before Komachi coughed rather forcefully. It was up to me then. I'll just have to face my fear and let it pass threw me and all that. My finger pressed the door bell and a soft chime could be heard coming from the house.

Another few seconds passed voices and the rustle of feet were right behind the door. The knob turned with a click and I unconsciously took a breath. It swung open and in a blink of an eye I was nearly tackled to the ground.

"Haa-chan!"

 ** _TBC._**

* * *

 ** _Finally chapter three, two more to go I think. As I mentioned before I struggled with this one but I hope everyone is still in character. I'll try to update quicker then last time as well. There may be a few mistakes here and there but hopefully they will be gone in a few days while my beta reader helps me out. That's all for now, let me know what you think._**


	4. There Is Kindess In Lies But Also

**Author's Note:** I'm considering having "Sorry The Update Is So Late" tattooed on my forehead as a way to pay for my sins. Seriously though, thank you for all your patience and thanks for all the reviews, favorites, and follows. I hope you won't be disappointed with the new chapter. I tried my best and hopefully everyone is still in character. Now finally. Here's chapter four.

* * *

Chapter Four: There Is Kindness In Lies But Also Cruelty.

Like all forms of human communication, physical contact is often misinterpreted.

That hand that she places ever so subtly on your shoulder that makes your heart race doesn't mean what you think it does. She just needed something to help her keep her balance as she reaches for the book behind you. You might as well have been an empty chair. When your shoulders brush each other as you both hurry down the hall it means nothing. She just had to move over a little to avoid running into the wall. You were literally the lesser of two evils, with the other evil being a smack to the face. Those pats to the back, the playful shove to your shoulder, the ruffling of your hair, it all means nothing to her. She does it with everyone, don't go thinking your special. It could be argued that physical communication is even more covered with lies then its verbal counter part. Source: Me.

But in regards to my current situation I have somewhat of an idea as to what is trying to be conveyed. This six year old girl I barely know MAY in fact be happy to see me.

"Haa-chan, you made it!"

Contrary to what other people may think, and by other people I mean the few that know I exist, I am not entirely opposed to forms of physical contact. But only if I can anticipate them before they happen so I can brace myself and act accordingly. Having been caught off guard I was at a loss.

"H-Hey." I managed to squeak out.

I hold my arms rather awkwardly at my sides and Keika in turn has wrapped her own small arms around them, effectively binding them to my body like I was tied up with a rope. _Have I been captured? Do I need to wave a white flag of surrender? I_ _can_ _promise I wouldn't make a good prisoner for you._

But when I look down at the happy face staring at me with something resembling admiration in her turquoise eyes I start to cave. Against my will I can feel the muscles in my face slowly starting to form a smile, but luckily the world was saved from seeing such a sight.

"Kei-chan! Its cold outside and your hair is still wet, you'll get sick!"

The voice was stern but not harsh and laced with motherly concern. Following the noise I find Kawasaki standing in the doorway with a towel in her hands and a worried expression on her face. It was at that moment I finally noticed that the front of my jacket had suddenly became damp and that the lose silver hair of this little girl was to blame. Her smile widened.

"Kei-chan wanted her hair to look like Haa-chan's, but Saa-chan said I couldn't, so I had to take a bath." Keika explained happily and pulled some of her silver locks in the air to demonstrate. _Please stop. I can't take much more of the cuteness. Is this how it will be all night?!_

"Oh...I see..well you really should dry off. Getting sick isn't fun you know." I tell her and look up to Kawasaki for support which I evidently didn't need.

"Okay!" with that she releases me from her hold only to grab onto my sleeve and begin dragging me into the house. Will I forever be at the mercy of girls grabbing my sleeves? Kawasaki backs up to give us enough room to enter and I was reminded that I wasn't the only guest.

I turn my head to the right to look at Komachi who had been surprisingly silent through that little exchange. Other then a small smile, her expression is hard for me to read and I feel a mixture of confusion and panic in the pit of my stomach. As she was my closest stranger I sort of prided myself on being able tell what she was thinking, but at the moment I was at a loss, and I was starting to get uneasy. I was so absorbed in the look she was giving me I nearly jumped when she softly closed the door behind her. I kicked my shoes off and tried not to seem like I was in a panic.

"Uhh S-Sorry." Kawasaki stammered as if suddenly remembering she had yet to actually acknowledge us. "You can leave your jackets and stuff here and then wait in the dining room. I have to help Kei-chan get ready."

"Sure." I answer. Kawasaki and I share a glance of understanding before she reaches her hand out to Keika. Seemingly being satisfied with leading me inside successfully, the young girl looked at me as if to say 'be here when I get back okay?' before letting go of my sleeve and taking her sister's hand.

"We'll be quick. My mom is a little behind with dinner anyway." Kawasaki told us. She glanced first to me and then to Komachi before bowing slightly and turning to leave. I watched as she led Keika down the small hallway before taking a left and fading out of view.

With nothing else to do the two us began to dismantle our armor consisting of jackets and scarves. To the right of the door were hooks that were already mostly full of other jackets and winter wear but we both managed to find empty ones to place our contributions to the clutter. The entire time Komachi remained silent. Seriously, stop it. I'm starting to get freaked out. Its bad enough that I'm in this needlessly complected situation but now the person who I thought would be my only ally while I'm stuck behind enemy lines has made it worse just by not talking.

Her expression didn't change and she kept smiling but there was _something_ behind her eyes that eluded me. I thought about bringing it up, but she was usually the one to start conversations like that between us. It was like I had forgotten how and the words just wouldn't come to me. The only thing I could sense coming from her was the fact that she knew I was flustered by it, but that she wasn't going to do anything about it. I was basically drowning and she was content with standing there and watching water fill my lungs.

My little sister can be scary, and in the future she will be horrifying.

Having not been slowed down by having to over think things she finished before me and walked past me before turning right at the end of the hallway. I finished wrapping my scarf on the hook and patted it twice in recognition of its service to me before turning and following her.

As I found myself alone I began to take quick glances at my surroundings. Full bookshelf's lined the small hallway on both sides and an array of picture frames were on top of them. Overall the small space gave the impression of being full but not unorganized. A citrous like chemical smell hung in the air as well, indicating to me that the place had being vigorously cleaned recently. _You really didn't need to do that. As someone who hates to work, the knowledge that I have made someone else work unnecessarily makes me feel bad. Stop making me feel bad._

Making my way forward I turn the corner. Komachi's voice can be heard coming from in front of me and relief that she hasn't lost her ability to speak washes over me. Its short lived however, as the second I walk through the door way I'm all but assaulted by an unfamiliar woman's voice.

"Oh! This must be Hikigaya-kun then?"

I was now in a rather plain but not unattractive looking dining room. To the left was the kitchen, which was separated from the dining room by a counter top. On the dining room side was Komachi who stared back at me with a smile, and on the other was a women wearing an apron with black shoulder length hair. She looked to be in her late thirties or perhaps early forties, but that was a mystery I would never know the answer to because the teachings of Hiratsuka-sensei had forbidden me from asking any women their age. She had a youthful air about her though. She stared happily at me for a moment before Komachi spoke.

"Yep! That's my Onii-chan. His pretty useless but I still mange to love him!"

"Komachi-chan, you shouldn't talk about your brother like that." the women said in teasing way that reminded me of a certain older sister that I both fear and loath. Thankfully there was no hint of a sinister undertone coming from this woman. "Ahh sorry, sorry! You must think my manners are terrible! Please come in and sit down Hikigaya-kun." she said while motioning for me to get closer to them. Reluctantly I oblige.

"Th-Thank you." I practically whispered and looked at the ground as I walked before finding my spot next to Komachi.

"If you couldn't tell, I'm Saki's mother, Kawasaki Natsuki. Calling me Kawasaki-san is fine. Or would you prefer Natsuki-chan? Hehe." she paused, much like a comedian does after they say a joke that they think will be received well. For a brief second I think about glancing at Komachi to signal her to help me but I decided against it. The two of them already knew each other. This is her introduction to me and as such it was up to me to respond. I decided to go with a dry laugh and hope for the best. Her demeanor went a little slack but she kept an upbeat posture.

"Well like I was telling Komachi-chan, my husband won't be joining us tonight. He _really_ wanted to be here to show his gratitude but he just couldn't get off work. I'm sorry about that." she explained apolitically.

"Its fine, our parents couldn't make it either so-"

"Ahh! The tempura!" Kawasaki-san cut me off and wheeled around in a blur. Her hand darted to the nearest utensil and she fished the fried pieces of sea food out of a pot containing boiling oil. After staking them on a near by plate she she turned back to us.

"Not burned at least." she laughed softly seemingly out of embarrassment. I thought about comforting her by explaining that one of my club mates would have surely killed someone if they had been in her place, but it seemed in bad taste to do so. Not to mention there was a chance Komachi may relay that statement to Yuigahama and I hear enough of 'Hikki you're so mean!' that her adding on to the pile was completely unnecessary.

"Sorry for that! I'm a little behind, but it shouldn't be to much longer. If it gets to late I'll drive you both home alright?" she asked and looked right at me for conformation.

"That's fine."

"Oh! I can help you!" Komachi suddenly proclaimed and waved her arm in the air like a student in a classroom. Without even waiting for a response she dashed behind the counter and begun rummaging through a drawer. After a second or two she pulled out a purple apron and held it victoriously over her head like she had just found an ultra rare item.

"Just tell me where you want me!" she announced happily as she finished tying the apron into place.

"Ahh Komachi-chan, you're so reliable. If you except my offer you can help me out like this all the time." Kawasaki-san said smoothly and winked at my sister. Komachi laughed as if they were sharing some kind of inside joke and started to wash her hands. _What offer?! What dirty underhanded dealings have been going on behind my back?!_

As if sensing the new tension I was adding to the room they both looked at me.

"Hikigaya-kun, sit down and relax, we've got this." Kawasaki-san told me and waved her hand as if to shoo me away.

"S-Sure."

With that I made my way over to the black wooden table in the center of the dinning room and sat down at the corner seat.

The common idea is that any person put in this situation would find themselves suddenly becoming bored beyond belief, and while after a minute or two I did start to feel the effects of boredom come over me, I knew I had nothing to worry about. (At least for a while anyway.) Because a veteran loner like myself is someone who is well versed in the art of observation and through observing things one can invite an endless amount of entertaining ideas to keep them occupied.

…..this dinning room is plain and boring as hell. _Damn._

My eyes scanned the room a few times and still found nothing of interest. Having no other options, and with the excuses that human eyes are naturally drawn to movement, I looked at the kitchen which my host and sister were currently shuffling around in.

At first glance Kawasaki and her mother don't resemble each other in looks or personality. Its entirely possible that shes just putting up a front though. It wouldn't surprise me if she was in 'need to be a good host' mode, and that she would not normally act so energetic or friendly. But I would likely never know. It would be easy to make an assumption but I know from experience that they could lead me down the wrong path. For now I'll accept her for how shes chosen to present herself.

She moved around the small white room somehow being both fluid and stiff in her actions. As if she knew what to do but hadn't actually done it in a while. Ahh yes, both the parents work so it stands to reason why she would be out of practice. Yet another reason for this family to needlessly work and in doing so making me feel needlessly guilty. _Take out would have been fine as long as I didn't have to pay you know!_ Though admittedly, what ever they were cooking was starting to smell pretty good.

Upon farther inspection I've come to notice that I may have been wrong about the lack of similarity between the appearance between the before mentioned mother and daughter. The hair and eyes were different but the over all shape of the face was the same. It wouldn't surprise me if in twenty years Kawasaki looked the same way, mature but not worn out. Seeing her stand next to Komachi also told me that she was actually quite tall for a woman. Something Kawasaki had no doubt inherited from her. Or perhaps from her father? Maybe she got her distant personality from him as well? Are personality traits inherited genetically or is the way a child raised more important? Do neither of them play a factor and everyone's personality is just the product of societies influence? Why in the pursuit of answers does one almost always find more questions? Why must I be stuck here in this vortex of self asked questions instead of being at home doing nothing? Why-

"Hikigaya-kun...are you alright?" Kawasaki-san's voice pulled me out of the vortex.

"Err...yeah, sure." I answer absentmindedly. I must have spaced out for a while as it felt like they had made a lot of progress I didn't notice. She was looking at me with a knife in her hand and concern on her face.

"Oh well...you looked so...lonely." she said softly as if she wasn't sure that was the right word to use. "I was worried."

She was either a great actress or the genuineness of her concern was unmistakable. Either way the appropriate response wasn't coming to me and I just sat there dumbfounded. Luckily I was saved before things got to awkward.

"Oh don't mind that! That's just how he always looks. You get use to it after awhile." Komachi chimed in as she was busy deicing something up.

"Komachi-chaaaan." she said to my sister in the same teasing way she had before. The tense atmosphere was gone. Komachi really had saved me there. The moral of that little story is to always keep your closest stranger close. Haven been given time to think, I had a response ready.

"I'm fine, you don't have to worry, I was just spacing out there." it will work because its true.

"Well alright then. Taishi is up stairs finishing up some school work but he should be down soon. Then he can keep you company!"

 _Oh that's quite alright Ma'am. I wouldn't mind if he stays up there **forever**. Actually could you somehow arrange that? You are trying to be a gracious host after all right?_

But alas, my inner most wish can not be spoken in such company and after I gave a nod of understanding we returned to our separate activities. Them cooking and me sitting there. I didn't think I would ever dislike not having to do anything. Isn't being forced to dislike something you love one of the levels of hell or something? As I contemplated my next move in my quest to entertain myself I suddenly found myself not needing to.

Quick and small footsteps came from the door I had previously entered before a high pitched, energetic, and undeniably cute voice filled the room.

"I'm sitting next to Haa-chan!"

Before I knew it the chair next to me was pulled out and Keika hurriedly climbed into it while holding a piece of paper in her hand. After adjusting herself she looked up at me happily and gave me a nod which made her hair that was now in her usual pigtails bounce. It was almost like she was confirming her status as my seat neighbor. You would think the effect of her cuteness would lessen and grow weaker with time, but much like a distant sun in a far off galaxy, it just keeps burning for several millenniums providing warmth and ultimately life itself to the surrounding planets. _S-Shes really cute alright!_

"Kei-chan, you shouldn't run in the house like that, its dangerous."

I was reminded that Keika hadn't entered the room alone when Kawasaki walked up and stood behind the chair directly in front of me. She didn't even seem to notice me as her attention was set squarely on the bundle of silver haired joy next to me.

"Okay Saa-chan, I won't." came Keika's answer as she reached into one of her pockets and placed a handful of crayons on the table in front of her. The blank piece of paper she had been holding joined them on the table and she went to work.

I turned my attention back to Kawasaki to find her staring back at me. At first she had a neutral expression on her face but after seeing me look her way she glared back. It was at this time I took note of what she was wearing, a white blouse with a light blue collar that showed a tasteful amount of her collar bone, and a pair of black jeans. It may just be the fact that I so rarely see her in anything other then her school uniform, but she gave me the impression of being dressed up. Like she had made an effort in deciding what she would wear. My plain blue dress shirt made me feel under dressed.

"Wh-what is it?"

Having been caught staring I immediately went to work forming my defensive strategy. Some of my idiot classmates (Tobe) may have thought I was quote 'totally checking her out' but I assure you that wasn't the case. I was merely...observing my surroundings! Yes, that's it, and she happens to now be in my surroundings. I am guiltless. Nevertheless, I anticipated a situation like this and have a strategy ready.

"You look nice."

Flawless.

Through the teachings of my little sister I was informed that when it is apparent that a female has made an effort in her appearance it was then the nearest males job to complement her on this as a 'reward' of sorts for her efforts. Considering that Komachi is within earshot, its in my best interest to adhere to that rule.

A lesser, more naïve man would have gone for the obligatory 'you look good' but there is a fatal flaw in that move. Almost anytime an unrelated boy tells a girl she 'looks good', her mind will jump to the conclusion of 'he means in a sexual way'. Even if that's as far from the truth as you can get. From there the exchange can go one of two ways, both depending on the preexisting relationship between both parties. In the first possible out come the girl wanted to get that reaction from the boy and with a blush or nervous laugh she welcomes his advance. In the other the boy's supposed advance is unwelcome and he is internally and sometimes even verbally labeled a creep. The girl will then go to great lengths to avoid him, as well as telling all her friends to do the same in shunning the boy. Source: Uhhhh my cousin's mother's brother's son. While by contrast me saying 'you look nice' in this situation saves me from such a senselessly complected problem. I can say a painting or a landscape looks nice and its almost impossible for my meaning to be misconstrued. So by giving her that response I answer my obligation to acknowledge her appearance while also giving me a reason to look at said appearance.

 _Truly flawless._

"Wh-Where the hell did that come from?" asked the very flustered girl in front of me. Covering her mouth with her hand suddenly as if she said something she shouldn't have she looked at Keika. "Kei-chan, never repeat what Saa-chan just said alright?"

"Okay!" came the response, though it was clear she wasn't paying attention. The masterpiece she was making seemed a lot more important to her.

I had been wrong. Or at the very least I had made a bad assumption. Two things I do to much. It was up to me to try and defuse the situation.

"Sorry...just trying to be polite." I stated but it sounded more like a question.

"Its fine." she pulled the chair out and took a seat. Opening her mouth she looked at me as if she wanted to say something else but had stopped herself. Then she looked away and her ponytail swayed in the air. After placing her elbow on the table and resting her chin in her palm she looked into the kitchen. Her eyes gave the impression that she was deep in thought about something. There wasn't an air of anger or annoyance about her like I expected but something more along the line of...confusion. As if she was trying to solve a problem that was out of her grasp.

It was then that I remembered that with the exception of Keika, who was happily in her own little world, we were basically alone. The few times we had been alone before were like this. Neither of us knowing what to say or if anything should be said. Not wanting to make things worse by making her think I'm still staring at her, I turn and look in the other direction. The wall I was looking at was blank and boring. _What is with this room?!_

A few minutes pass and except for the occasional enthusiastic noise coming from Keika the dinning room is dead silent. While by contrast the kitchen was lively with Kawasaki-san and Komachi chatting away like they were long time friends. How do those people do it? Ahh yes I had almost forgotten, Kawasaki wasn't that far removed from being being a loner like me. It was only recently that she had been forcibly dragged from under the bleachers of solitude to standing on the side lines of life while occasionally being tangled in the plays as they spill out of control. I knew the feeling.

"Hey."

I shift my eyes over and her eyes are boring through me. _Gulp._

"Y-Yeah?"

"After dinner...we need to-"

A high pitched wail ripped through the air which stopped her from finishing that unbearably ambiguous sentence. At first I thought a cat was being murdered up stairs as it reminded me of the time I had stepped on Kamakura's tail. He still hasn't forgiven me. I've given up hope that he will. As the sound continued it took me a second or two to recognize it as the cries of a child. I had forgotten that this family had four children and I had only met three. Reacting almost immediately, Kawasaki-san put down the bowl she was steering and started to wipe her hands off on her apron.

"Don't worry, I'll go."

Kawasaki was up and heading for the doorway in an instant.

"Ahh thanks Saki!" her mother proclaimed and resumed what she was doing.

Before leaving she took a glance over her shoulder at me. Again not exactly angrily but like she was perplexed. I also got the sense that she was telling me to behave myself. _Don't worry, I'm already under orders. "Don't embarrass the Service Club Hikigaya-kun" and all that._

Just like that, Keika and I were left in the dinning room alone, and this time I had the fun new activity of trying to figure out what Kawasaki was about to tell me. What did she want to talk to me about? I had a few ideas but by now I knew better then to assume I understood anything about her.

I laid my head down on the table and was considering taking a nap to dream my worries away when I heard a sharp intake of air come from my left. I turned slightly and with half my face still pressed to the table I saw that Keika looked like she had had a sudden realization of something important. Timidly she looked at me and then she pushed herself up to look over me at the kitchen. Following her line of sight I saw that she was looking at her mother.

"What is it?" I whispered.

Her eyes went back to me and she leaned in close before speaking.

"Kei-chan has something for Haa-chan in her room, but mommy said to wait until after dinner to give it to Haa-chan." she explained and _attempted_ to whisper. Its likely the whole neighborhood heard her.

"Well, shouldn't we wait then?"

Being unsatisfied with my answer she reached over and pulled on my sleeve.

"But Kei-chan wants to do it nooooow." she pouted. It is now my duty to make sure that she and Isshiki never meet. Their combined powers would conquer the world and leave nothing for the rest of us. She kept staring and I was powerless.

"Well uhhh...I guess...if you want."

With a vigorous nod she climbed off of her chair and proceeded to drag me out of mine. Laughing happily she lead me around the table but suddenly realized that our "mission" was suppose to be a secret one and covered her mouth. Looking up at me she held a single finger to her mouth that did nothing to cover her massive grin. Turning around she basically started to run out of the room. This wasn't good. I shouldn't be going around someone else's house with a five year old as my tour guide. As we passed the counter and I was about to ask for help but Kawasaki-san was already looking at me. She smiled and nodded like she was giving me permission.

My last chance at a rescue was gone.

So away we went. Out the door, down the hallway, and passed the front door. We entered the part of the house I was unfamiliar with and kept going. Eventually she lead me to a stair case and we started to climb it. Several picture frames were on the wall that were hurriedly passed. I didn't want to look at them as it would feel like an invasion of privacy but eventually curiosity got the better of me and I took a few quick glances at them. From what I can tell they were the typical family pictures of happy moments and special occasions. My eyes instinctively went to the person I knew best among all the strangers and it was like I was watching Kawasaki grow up as we speed by them. In the pictures that looked like they were taken with out the subjects knowledge she looked normal with a smile here and there, but in the ones where the poses were obviously staged she portrayed nothing but discomfort. _Has she been scowling for all time?_ I wonder. But who am I to judge? I take horrible pictures, hence my efforts at avoiding them.

When we were near the top the frames no longer held photos but multicolored drawings much like the one Keika had been creating back at the dinning table. I assumed they were all her creations but the last few were clearly more aged and the characters for 'Saki' were written in the bottom right corner. We reached the top of the stairs and took a left.

"This is Kei-chan's room."

Pushing the door to the dark room open with her free hand she entered it and I followed. After struggling to reach the light switch for a moment she finally got it and I was temporarily blinded by the light. Instinctively I brought the door to behind me. After regaining my vision I barely had anytime to look at the room before I was dragged and long and placed on a bed.

"Sit there for now Haa-chan." Keika told me and finally my poor sleeve was set free from her grasp. Skipping away gleefully for a few steps she stopped at a little desk next to the bed and started to rummage through it.

Leaving her to her task and with my eyesight back to normal I scanned the room.

It was strange. It was almost like it was two rooms put together. On the side I was in was a plethora of colors. Toys and pieces of clothes were lying in piles everywhere. It was the perfect example of a little girls room. By comparison the other side was very plain. There was a sliding door closet with a dresser next to it. A vanity with a chair in front of it was next to that and then there was a bed. Huh? Another bed? Why does she need two beds? Oh... _oh._

This wasn't just Keika's room, it was _theirs._

I was in Kawasaki's room right now. I was in a female classmate's room. From a purely logical sense this should mean nothing to me, but in the foolish adolescence part of my mind I was suddenly in a panic. I shouldn't be nervous at all really. I had been to Yukinoshita's house before and made it out fine...but I hadn't barged into her room like this. This is where Kawasaki slept and did _other_ things. I started to blush. _Stop it Hachiman! Remember 'best behavior'!_

I nearly jumped when I felt Keika throw herself down next to me. Jovially she looked up at me and I noticed that she had a stack of papers in her hands.

"Kei-chan wants to show Haa-chan her favorite drawings."

"A-Alright."

With that she handed me the first one in her hands and I examined it. It was a tree standing in the middle of a field with the sun happily shining down on it as far as I could tell. Keika looked at me eagerly as if she was waiting for my review of it

"Its very nice."

If its even possible her smile got bigger and she reached out to take the paper away from me before replacing it with another. This process continued for a little while. About half of them were of her family and most of those were Kawasaki. Or at least I _think_ they were. Some were more...abstract then others and were more like a collection of colorful blobs instead of actual shapes. Every time I looked at one she asked for my thoughts about it. My comments didn't go much beyond "the green in this one is nice" or "I like blue" but she ate it up like I was telling her some great truth.

Finally the stack of papers and been reduced to one and her demeanor changed slightly as if for the first time she was reluctant to show me it. Holding the drawing to her chest she looked up at me with nervous eyes before speaking.

"Kei-chan...made this one today."

Slowly she turned it in her hands and handed it to me. Taking it in my grasp and first looked at her with confusion and then down at it.

On one side of it was clearly a drawing on herself. The silver hair and ponytails were a clear give away, but holding her hand was another figure who hadn't been in any other the ones before. With a head covered in black spiky hair and clothing that vaguely resembled the uniform of my school it stared back at me with a wide smile...and the eyes of a dead fish.

I smiled then chuckled.

"Is it...bad?"

"No no its good...very...accurate. This is suppose to be me right?"

"Mmmhmm! Saa-chan helped Kei-chan with the eyes. She said the first time I drew them that they didn't look right. But its good now right?"

"Yes, very good."

She let out a sigh of relief before again growing timid.

"Its...Haa-chan's present. Does Haa-chan want it?"

Does she think I'd have the strength to refuse at this point?

"Well...if you want me to hold onto it I can."

With a broad smile her energy returned.

"Okay!"

With that she began gathering all the other drawings she had placed on the bed back into a stack and I looked back at my gift and swore to myself that no eyes shall fall upon it but mine. Comments like 'why is that little girl holding the hand of that monster thing' were something I would want to avoid. The smell of the food being cooked down stairs drifted in and I stood up.

"We should head back now. Dinner should just about be ready."

With a nod of confirmation she slid off the bed and headed back to the desk from which the drawings had emerged and placed the stack in her hand in the first drawer. I folded the one in my hand a few times and put it in my pocket. Instead of walking towards the door when she was done Keika looked back up at me and held her hands behind her. Without the timidness of before she spoke happily and firmly.

"Will Haa-chan be Kei-chan's friend?"

It was like I had been shot. At lest for me, the light atmosphere was gone and my body felt suddenly very heavy. It was _that word_. This was something anyone would expect from a child. They are taught to believe that things are as simple as that. That just asking someone to be your friend was all that was needed and then your relationship is settled and unbreakable.

Its not like that, not even close.

But I can understand it. Children are often lied to and the adults that do it hold the child's best interest in mind. Or at least that's the excuse they use. In reality things are complected and _hurtful_ , so to spare them of that knowledge people lie. Its kind of painfully sad when you think about it. Like the previous generation has to lie to the next so that they feel motivated to become the next generation only to find out the harsh truths that were kept from them. Then the cycle will begin again and the deceived become the deceivers. So what do I do now? I can say yes and I know it will make her happy, but would it not be a lie? I have held true to my ideals when it comes to other people wouldn't it be wrong to not do that now? Its not like I can't lie, but recently I've always had the excuse that it was in one or another for someone else, even though that excuse is the same one so many others use. I like to think I'm different from the rest of the world but I'm not. I'm as easily susceptible to the makings of this world as anyone, but still... _I don't want to lie._

The only other option would be to refuse her request. That would be cruel. I _can_ be cruel. I have many times in the past but once again I had the excuse of helping other people. What then is left for me to do?

A few seconds pass that felt like centuries as she stares innocently up at me. Finally my brain gives me a solution and I hope for the best.

"I...can't be your friend Kei-chan..."

Her face changed and she looked like she could cry any second.

"...but I can be something better. Have you ever heard of _secret_ friends?"

She shook her head no and I could breath again.

"You see, _secret_ friends are when two people are friends but they don't tell _anyone_ about it. It makes their friendship _special."_

She looked on in wonder as I explained and spoke eagerly when I was done.

"Then Haa-chan wants to be Kei-chan's secret friend?"

"Y-Yes if that's alright with you."

"Yeah! Kei-chan wants that!"

I walked towards her and leaned down a little.

"You have to promise not to tell _anyone_ alright?"

"Kei-chan promises!"

"Good." was all I could say. It was really a stroke of genius. I used the idea that if only two people know about something that arguably it doesn't exist. It wasn't exactly a lie but not the truth either. I didn't feel good about it but it was the best solution I could come up with. "Lets get going then."

Grabbing my sleeve once more she pulled me along towards the door. She grabbed the handle with her free hand and opened it only to stop abruptly. Kawasaki was blocking our exit. Standing with her arms held at her sides and an unreadable down cast expression she didn't move for a second before suddenly jerking her head up like she had been daydreaming.

"Uhh...ummm...dinners ready."

 _ **TBC.**_

* * *

 _ **There it is. Hoping with all I've got that you liked it. There may be some mistakes as always (-_-) but hopefully they will be cleared up in a few days. I said last chapter that this story had two chapters left but after reorganizing it all in my head it now has two chapters to go from here and maybe an epilogue. Also the fourth Kawasaki child is unnamed at the moment as I wasn't sure what name or even gender to use, if you have a suggestion let me know because I would rather not have to call it an "it" the whole time. That's all for now, as always reviews are appreciated!**_

 _ **Update: Apparently the fourth Kawasaki child IS a boy but he is not named. So keep that in mind when suggesting names.**_


	5. In The End, No One Can Take It Easy

**Author's Note:** _Not Dead._

* * *

Chapter Five: In The End, No One Takes It Easy On Him And He Speaks Much More Then He Intended.

* * *

"Now dig in everyone!" said Kawasaki-san.

"Thanks for the food!" answered everyone else at the table in a booming fashion, excluding myself of course. I'm the type that likes to throw my thanks in at the end of the chorus so that I'm barely audible and yet still gracious. So thats what I did. A loner in the smaller things in life is a loner in the important things. At least that's the excuse I use for myself now. I think I do it more out of habit then anything else.

"Hikigaya-kun, don't be shy. Have some of anything you like okay?" Kawasaki-san said as she started putting together Keika's plate.

"R-Right." I answered.

Said little girl was still sitting next to me but our places at the table were somewhat different. Taishi, or whatever, had taken over my previous spot at the corner. _Little Bastard._ Directly across from him was Komachi. To my left sat Keika who was sitting in front of her mother. That left Kawasaki and I sitting in front of each other. I would use the word awkward but that word lacks the ability to adequately describe the mood between us.

Our walk back to the dining room was a slow march that would have been dead silent if not for Keika's happy musings and the creaking of the stairs. She hadn't said a word to me and it was hard for me to even look at her. The one question that rattled in my mind was, _how much of that did she hear?_ Even if she only heard the tail end of it, the embarrassment may just be enough to kill me, but it was more than that. I had began to re-analyze my words and actions. In my rush to make Keika happy I may have made a major mistake. It was easy to see that from her point of view I may have been entering into some kind of pact with her. The truth of the matter however, is that after tonight I have no reasonable excuse to see her again. Kawasaki and I aren't friends, nor are we clubmates. So a high school guy randomly hanging around a five year old girl that he doesn't have some concrete connection to is impractical at best and creepy at worst. As she playfully stabbed at her food next to me I sighed in defeat. There wasn't anything I could do at the moment anyway. I came here for the food and I'm taking it.

There really was quite a spread. Tempura, Tonkatsu, Yakitora, not to mention two kinds of curry. There was even some western things like fries and some sort of pasta. It all looked good. Though I bet Yukinoshita would say something along the lines of _'While the meal is quite visually appealing, it lacks any sort of direction'_ I chuckled to myself with the thought of the cautious look on her face while she tries one of the heavier dishes. _Huh? Maybe I shouldn't think of..._

"Onii-chan...stop making that face...you'll make me lose my appetite..." Komachi's voice stops the clatter of the table and suddenly I'm the center of attention.

"I...ugh...okay..."poured out of my mouth. Taishi laughs and I hold myself back from ending him. Murder isn't wrong if you can justify it right?

"Do you need help Hikigaya-kun? I can make you a plate." Kawasaki-san said sincerely.

"No, I can manage." I answered while trying to sound confident. I was really growing tired of stuttering tonight.

"Sorry about the over the top selection. You see, we didn't really know what you liked so I figured we'd go with a little of everything. What kind of food is your favorite?" she asked, again as sincere as can be. I held back the urge to answer 'free food', because my shin was within striking distance of Komachi's foot and I don't want to limp home.

"I'm not really picky...it all looks great...really."

I purposely avoided the gaze of everyone else at the table and started grabbing at whatever was in reach. They can't think I'm being disrespectful for not talking if I have food in my mouth right? That was the approach I took and things went smoothly from there. Komachi's natural talent of steering conversions shown through, as the small talk she made kept everyone busy. The typical topics came and went as time passed. I only added anything when needed and mostly only when I was provocated by Keika pulling on my sleeve so she could ask me something. Kawasaki, like myself, was mostly quiet.

It wasn't until near the end of the meal when _that_ question was asked.

"So Hikigaya-kun, why don't you tell us a little about yourself?"

I was expecting something like this. Its a question often asked when normal people have gatherings with people they don't know well, especially when older people meet younger people it seems. I can only assume Kawasaki-san was saving it for a moment when they ran out of topics, but how can I answer? How can anyone? If your answer is too long winded you come across as being full of yourself. If its short and sarcastic you may seem standoff-ish. I'm not exactly going out of my way to be liked here, but being disliked is hardly to my advantage. I doubt she meant for it to come across this way, but I suddenly felt the need to justify my continued intake of oxygen.

"Oh well..." I started to say. My eyes skillfully glanced at Komachi without being too obvious. Her chin was in her palms and she looked right back at me like she knew I was about to fall and she was preparing to laugh.

"Not much to say really." I followed up with. "I'm looking to go to a university that's decently nearby and major in something to do with the humanities." I had given it some thought before hand so I wasn't completely caught off guard. All the possible pitfalls were still there though. These social etiquette things are brutal. I watched for Kawasaki-san's reaction and almost as soon as I said it her eyes lit up. Clapping her hands together, she turned to look at Kawasaki.

"Oh Saki! You were having trouble with your Japanese homework right? Hikigaya-kun can help you!"

What followed was what sounded like three or four words being forcibly smashed together coming from the girl sitting in front of me. After a second, she managed to say something slightly more legible.

"Wha-what?! No, I'm fine. I can do it. I'm fine."

"Are you sure? He's right here, why can't he just help you a little?"

"Its...I don't want to be a bother. I can do it Mom. Alright?" Kawasaki said while looking any direction she could without actually looking at another person.

Kawasaki-san glanced at me then back to her eldest daughter before looking back at me. While reaching for my glass of water to give me something to do other then stare at them I saw something flash across her eyes. Almost like she thought she stumbled upon something she shouldn't have found.

"O-Oh is it because-"

 _"No!_ I mean...please Mom...I'm fine."

Kawasaki-san's expression seemed to darken and the two of them stared at each other. They must be having an entire argument with their eyes alone. Kawasaki's were pleading and submissive while her Mother's were stern and questioning. I was fixated on the scene in front of me. I started to fiddle uncomfortably in my chair and as I did I noticed my right arm was stationary. Looking down I saw Keika's small fist holding my sleeve firmly as she looked forward in worry. I got the impression she was used to scenes like these but didn't like them. I shared the sentiment.

Kawasaki lowered her head which broke their eye contact.

"Fine..." Kawasaki-san whispered in a hushed way. Turning swiftly she looked to me then to Komachi before clasping her hands together in an apologetic way in front of her. "Sorry for that you two! Please enjoy the rest of the meal!"

She said that, but how could we? The light atmosphere was replaced by such a tense one I wasn't sure if I should even move. Not to mention, for the first time that night she sounded kind of fake. Taishi was the first to resume eating by aggressively stuffing something fried into his mouth. With frustration on his usually stupidly cheerful face he looked forward unblinkingly. Komachi smiled, but I knew _that_ smile. It was her 'I don't know what to do or say but I know frowning won't help' smile. Mother and daughter sat in silence while they chewed and Keika's grip tightened.

 _What the hell?  
_  
Seriously? My half hearted little self introduction started a series of events that got us _here_? If it wouldn't make things worse I think I'd laugh a little at myself. How do I defuse this situation? I really shouldn't but I can't help but feel somewhat responsible. It could just be a misunderstanding. Kawasaki-san may have thought Kawasaki and I were good friends or something and so she couldn't understand her resistance to my help. Though its most likely that there is already some underlining personal issue here that I don't want to know about, or frankly should know about. There was such an air superficiality around us that it almost made me sick. I hate superficial things but this isn't the place to draw a line in the sand and start a battle about it. I'm not looking to play a family councilor but I just can't leave things how they are right now.

"I..."

Suddenly five pairs of eyes are on me in an instant. I look straight ahead, right at Kawasaki. Which is admittedly hard to do given our encounter earlier but for this to work I have to address her more then anyone else.

"I don't mind lending a hand...its not a big deal..."

If I can make it seem like its less of her mother giving her an order and more like she's obliging me by allowing me to help her, then I may have a chance of moving things along. Its a long shot but its all I have. The eyes in the room shifted to her and she was visibly shaken by it. She looked right at me and a flash of confusion went across her eyes but she straightened up.

"A-Alright."

She only said one word but it was clear to me at least that she had many more to say.

"Then its settled. Saki and Hikigaya-kun can work on the assignment after we finish dinner." Kawasaki-san said cheerfully, but like before, somewhat forced.

"Oh! I'll help with the clean up!" Komachi chimed in.

"Uhh me too!" Taishi added.

"Good! There are going to be a lot of dishes this time so I'll need all the hands I can get!" she followed it up with a laugh and I felt a little relieved. I say a little because Kawasaki continued to stare at me in the same way she had before. Only now instead of being mostly perplexed there was clearly annoyance mixed with her searching gaze. The room returned to its random chatter of before for a few seconds but was stopped by a small voice.

"Kei-chan wants to be with Haa-chan."

"Now Keika, you can't bother your sister while she does her homework..."

"N-No...Kei-chan wants to play with Haa-chan and-"

"Keika don't argue with-"

Keika leaned over and buried her face into my side before her mother could finish her sentence. Anger flashed across Kawasaki-san's face and she opened her mouth to say something but Kawasaki beat her to it.

"Its not a problem. Kei-chan has been in our room when I've studied before and she didn't bother me at all." Nodding slightly she looked at me in an obvious attempt to get me to back her up.

"Y-Yeah it shouldn't be a problem..." I say, though with not much conviction. She gave us that very adult looking stare, the one where she's making it clear that she knows how thrown together our little plan is but she's going to allow it anyway.

"Well alright then." she said and rather aggressively stabbed at something on her plate. It was then that I realized she reminded me less of Haruno-san and more like a still unmarried Sensei whose assignment I was going to have to help Kawasaki with. This did nothing to help me see her as any less intimidating.

"But remember kids..." she stared right at me. "...save some room for dessert."

* * *

"Sorry about that..." Kawasaki said while staring at the wall in front of her. Somewhat nervously she rotated the pencil in her hand between her fingers before turning to look at me. With a sigh I responded.

"I meant what I said. Its not a big deal..."

The three of us were now back in the bedroom Keika and I had been in earlier. Kawasaki sat at a desk with a stack of papers on in it and an open text book next to them. I was sitting in a spare folding chair they kept in their closet in sort of a diagonal manner to her left. Keika was sitting on the ground behind us playing with a wide variety of toys she had dragged out of various places in the room. Having been strictly told by her mother not to disturb us she was uncharacteristically quiet, but she still seemed hesitant to being to far away from me at any time. _I can't take you home you know..._

"...so what seems to be the problem? With the assignment I mean." I follow up with.

The assignment was a pretty by the book compare and contrast. We had read two short stories out loud in class and we had to compare them while adding some of our own personal thoughts. It _should_ be easy. Really the type of assignment that was honestly a little low brow for our grade, but I won't complain if it lightens my work load.

"Well..." she began and picked up a paper with writing on it. "I guess...could ya explain that second story? That American one with the guy in the snow with the dog...I didn't really...get it."

"Oh, _To Build a Fire?_ Its your usual 'nature is all powerful and man is ignorant' kind of thing. Not bad but not all that great either in my opinion."

"A-Ah" was all she offered before looking over the paper in her hands. Whether that was her own conclusion or not I wasn't sure and I probably shouldn't ask. After her eyes scanned it a few times she put it back on the table and started erasing in a few spots. "Other than that I just want ya to double check my grammar when I'm done."

"Easy enough."

The scratching of her pencil was the only sound in the room for a while which I thought was a bit strange. I expected Keika to be quiet but at the level she was used to. Meaning her voice would probably be just a little softer than normal but still very present. Instead there was nothing from her. Turning slightly to look at her I realized I wasn't able to turn fully. My right leg was being kept in place by a small hand. Keika was sitting on the ground next to me while leaning most of her weight on the chair. Her left hand was holding the side of my pants and her head was downcast. Leaning over to look at her face I saw that her eyes were almost closed while her head bobbed up and down a little like she was struggling to stay awake.

Slowly I reached down and touched her shoulder. She looked at me and smiled.

"Kei-chan's not tired."

"You're a bad liar."

"Can you teach me how to be a good one Haa-chan?" she asked as innocently as possible.

"N-No, you don't want to learn that."

Kawasaki then abruptly turned around to look at me with a look that clearly told me what she wanted to say. _Just what are ya teaching my little sister huh?!_

I awkwardly hold my hands up as if to defend myself. She sighed like she was annoyed with me and pushed herself up from the desk. Bending back down to Keika she put her hands under her sister's arms and brought her to her feet.

"Kei-chan, its time to lay down alright?"

Keika's response was a tired sounding moan in protest as she rubbed her eyes.

"Come on, at least just lay down in bed. We can brush your teeth and everything else later."

"Okay..." she looked down in defeat but before she turned to walk to her bed she looked back at me. "Don't leave without saying goodbye alright Haa-chan?"

"Sure." I nod and she seemed pleased. With that I watched as Kawasaki lead her across the room and helped her into bed. Keika laid down and her sister re-adjusted her pillow for her. She looked up with a smile and Kawasaki patted her twice on the head while smiling back. They had likely done that exchange a million times by now and it showed. There was a realness to it that I found...endearing.

"Ya stare a lot, stop it."

"Y-Yeah"

She walked back to the desk and went to work, leaving me with nothing to do but patiently wait. She hurriedly wrote while occasionally taking a side glance at me. I preoccupied myself primarily with stretching my limbs and losing myself to my thoughts. I considered taking out my phone to use for some mindless entertainment but it didn't seem like the right time to do so. As time passed her glances became more frequent and her pace quickened.

"Take your time, there's no need to rush..."

As if she didn't hear me she kept going and seemingly finished.

"Don't want to take too much of your time..." she said timidly and picked up the paper. She then placed it in front of me and moved her chair over to give me room to use the desk. I adjusted my own chair and in doing so brought it closer to hers. I made sure there was still a comfortable distance between us but there's nothing I can really do to make this less awkward. I thought about reminding her that it wasn't a big deal but I doubt it would do much good. As I learned from our previous encounters, beneath her delinquent like appearance is actually a pretty polite girl. At least if you don't get her mad. As I thought that while reading her paper I suddenly found it harder to read. Not that the subject matter had anything to do with it, it was just _literally_ harder to read.

"For a girl you sure do have sloppy handwriting."

I surprise myself more then anything with that one. I've been making a conscious effort to be on my best behavior tonight and yet I just said the first thing to come to my mind. I don't have a problem doing that with people I'm familiar with but Kawasaki and I don't really know each other that well. That little quip sounded like something I'd say within the confines of the service club. Looking at her I expect the worst but again I'm surprised. She's looking at her paper with what looks like an embarrassed blush on her cheeks.

"S-Sorry." she practically whispers.

To keep myself from staring again I look back down at the desk. Not all of it was bad. She started fine but then her handwriting degraded for a few sentences, and almost like she caught herself doing it, it suddenly shot back up before downgrading again towards the end. _I need to explain better if I'm going to get out of this._

"Its fine. Its just...you need to make your handwriting all uniform. Hiratsuka-sensei is the type that once she knows what your best is, she'll expect you to always do it. I'd have no way of knowing but I'm guessing she knocked off some points for penmanship on other assignments right? It may not be so much that some parts are sloppy and others aren't but that its not all one or the other. As long as she can read it she probably doesn't care too much, but with the way it is now its like you're unintentionally implying that you can do better but aren't trying." as I explain this I scan the paper and re-read with the intent of finding grammatical errors. I circle the five or six that I find with the pencil she left on the desk. When I'm done I reach over to hand it to her and find her staring at me.

"I-I see, do I need to correct those then?" she asked and gestured to the circles I just made.

"Uhh yeah, do you want me to help you with-"

"No, I can do it." she cut me off and took the pencil from me. "Ya probably still have to do this assignment anyway right? No sense in making ya deal with it any more." she was very visibly annoyed but it didn't feel directed at me exactly.

"Actually...I did it before we came here. I needed some time to kill while waiting for Komachi to get ready."

Right as the words left me a shadow of gloom started to hang over her. I didn't mean it to sound like I was bragging but I can understand how it could come across like I was. _P-Please d_ _on't feel bad. Its just one of my few real strengths._

With nothing else to say we became quiet again. Her pencil and Keika's soft breathing were the only audible sounds in the room. She was curled up on her bed and out like a light. Waking her to say goodbye would almost feel cruel with how peaceful she was. Being reminded of our arrangement from earlier and the possibility of hurting her, I started to feel uneasy. My temporary student's voice pulled me from those sad thoughts.

"Sorry..."

 _How many time does that make now?_

"...its just...literature and writing...all that stuff...I hate it. It just doesn't come easy to me and it makes me feel stupid. I know I'm not but..." she kept writing furiously and looked like she was struggling for the right words. "Just don't want to _sound_ stupid ya know?"

It was at that moment that I think I got a better idea of how the girl called Kawasaki Saki came to be who she was.

Children can be the most kind and the most cruel things on the planet. They easily target anything that is different. For example, if you have an accent or even if you just have a habit of speaking coarsely, they will make sure to point it out. Even to the point of mocking you. After a while, it just gets easier not to talk, but once that happens you're labeled again as being unsocial. If you were to combine that with say, a natural somewhat fierce appearance, then you have the perfect recipe for a mountain of misunderstandings and misjudgments. Yes, I _think_ I may know her a little better now.

If this was a trashy harem anime then now would be when the dense main character makes some perfectly smooth comment and the girl will swoon while falling for him even more, but I'm no harem king and Kawasaki doesn't seem like the swooning type. Nor am I trying to swoon her. I just suddenly feel like being very honest with her.

"Nobody that matters thinks that about you and anyone else that does can go to hell. You're...a capable person. Anyone that's taken the time to get to know you a little can see that. Those who think different are misinformed and should be beneath your notice." I just sort of randomly say what comes to me and in a fairly stern way.

Her reaction is subtle but still noticeable. She keeps writing away but she blushes a little and looks away from me. _Please don't think I was being a creep and trying to hit on you or something! That blush makes me think that you got the wrong idea!_

"I'll...I'll keep that in mind..."

"Y-Yeah. Good." she seemed pleased with my compliment...observation...thing and kept going.

After that we talked a little while she worked. It wasn't some loud boisterous exchange like you may typically see between two people our age, but the fact that we were able to keep a conversion going and not let the silence take over again was a bit of a feat for two quiet people like us. Somewhere along the line the conversation turned to Keika again and she has the same look she had earlier at the dining table, perplexed about something but unwilling or unable to say it.

"Sorry about Kei-chan by the way. I was telling the truth when I said she was kinda obsessed with ya."

"Its fine...Komachi wasn't even that clingy when she was that age...so its not too bad." _How many apologies does that make now? Should I start calling her 'I'm-sorry-saki'? Uhh...that was terrible...even for me._ As I inwardly cried at my own horrible joke she kept speaking.

"Did ya have to look after her a lot?"

"I guess a little but not too much. It never felt like I was having to do something extra at least. I'm less than two years older than her so I don't really have any memories of being an only child. Komachi is pretty capable anyway and our parents favor her over me so she's always been taken care of."

"They...favor her?"

"Pretty much. I guess you can say that I was the experiment that failed and they are trying to perfect the process with her. Not that I really care. It just means they don't expect much from me so there isn't much pressure to be great. I like that part of it." I hold my hands behind my head and look at the ceiling lazily. I meant it as a bit of dark humor. Something that I've done many times with others, but when I look back at her I'm met with a serious and concerned filled expression. The atmosphere was again a bit heavy.

"Do you think they don't love you or something?" She asked timidly and with an emphasis on her words coming across clearly. I was caught off guard but I don't hesitate

"No." my answer is instant and honest. "I've never thought that they _didn't_ love me. I guess...that I disagree about the way they've chosen to show it. They've given me a lot of _things_ but...no, I don't really have any room to complain. There's always been a roof over my head and food on the table. A lot of people don't even have that much." I shift in my chair uncomfortably. I had no intention of being this open but I can't just leave my thoughts incomplete. "What I'm trying to say...is that I wouldn't mind living in a smaller house if there was someone waiting for me when I got back to it. Komachi feels the same way. It would be...presumptuous of me but I think you can empathize with that right?"

She looks on and nods like she understands but it does nothing to make me feel any less like I was in a spot light.

"S-So you wanted to talk about something after dinner right?" Its a low blow. She had obviously been trying to avoid that topic and I've purposely brought it up just to change the subject. She struggles to speak for a second before a knock at the door saves her.

"Nee-san, dessert is ready." Taishi's voice comes from the other side of the door.

"A-Alright! We'll be right there!" swiftly standing up her eyes bounced from her desk and then back to me. "I can handle the rest. I prefer to try and figure problems out on my own anyway."

"...sure." I'm not going to put up a fight with her about that. If nothing else, the two of us need to get out of this room to break the tension.

* * *

Dessert played out much like dinner had but not nearly as dramatic. All of us including a newly awake Keika sat in our spots from earlier and were served a strawberry flavored pastry with a side of vanilla ice cream. Judging by its warmth and the scent in the air the vaguely crepe looking dish was freshly made. While it was actually quite enjoyable, the bitter taste of guilt from knowing how much probably went into making it was hard to swallow.

The conversation was mundane and pretty tame this time with the now sugar filled Keika steering the conversation in any direction she could manage. I was content with staying out of it as much as possible but she wouldn't let me. Several times she dragged me into the center of attention and I had to worm my way out of it again. I've had some practice with things like this. Komachi and more recently Yuigahama have rather unsubtly pushed me to converse with others in social situations. They do this with the idea of 'helping' me and it annoys me to no end. Keika on the other hand doesn't have any alterative motives so its impossible for me to be angry with her about it. Rather mercifully her temporary boost in energy began to fade and she was drifting closer to sleep.

"Keika, I think its time for bed." Kawasaki-san looked at her from across the table with a knowing smile. While softly shaking my arm that's she's held onto for most of the night, she only offers up a small grumble as if she knows she can't offer much of a protest.

"I'll take her." Kawasaki says and stands up. As she moves across the table Keika's grip tightens slightly and I look down to see her looking back at me. Her sadness and uncertainty is easy to see.

"You'll come over again right Haa-chan?"

 _So its finally come to this._

My constant thinking about it has yet to give me an answer. Saying something vague like 'maybe' might save me for now, but it would feel...so _damn_ disingenuous that I can't bring myself to do it. I felt the need to look around for help but I stop myself. This is my fault. I need to do something about it, but what good can I do? Every acceptable answer would hurt her, and I can't expect her to understand my reasoning. That's hard enough with people my own age. With her it just feels impossible. But I can't just sit here in silence.

"Kei-chan..." its hard to speak. It doesn't help that we have an audience for this but it can't be helped. I take a breath to help me think. Keika looks concerned from my hesitation. Knowing that throwing a fake smile on my face would defeat the sincerity of my actions, I try my best to have a mostly neutral expression. "...I don't really have a reason to come back. At least not for right now. You understand that right?"

"B-But we're..." she starts to say but stops. Her eyes dart to the other people in the room and I can hear the sound of soft movement coming from them but I look only at her. Was she actually trying to honor our agreement from earlier? _You really aren't making this any easier..._

"Kei-chan." I get her attention again. "You should be spending your time playing and drawing, not hanging with me. I'm actually pretty boring and-'

"No! Kei-chan...Kei-chan likes Haa-chan so...she wants to play with him more and...and..."

Instinctively I move without much thought. and put my hand on her head. Rubbing softly I looked at her and I can see her eyes start to water. _Nope, not any easier at all..._

"I like you too Kei-chan, but I can't just come and see you all the time alright? Besides you have your whole family to play with so don't worry...you won't be alone."

At this point she takes hold of my wrist with both of her small hands and guides my hand off her head. While still holding onto to me she looks to me with her watery eyes and I feel a sinking feeling of guilt in my gut. I know I need to ignore how I feel however, as long as she's still alright after this, then that's all that matters. Leaning in I lower my voice to a whisper that I hope only she can hear.

"You're _safe_ now so don't worry, and we're still secret friends, even if we don't see each other very much. Understand?"

Backing away I feel her let go of my wrist. Looking back at her again I see her hold her hands in front of her chest with determination. Her eyes still sparkled slightly but her look of doubt and sadness was replaced by an almost unnaturally bright smile. She nodded vigorously before quickly standing up and essentially launching herself at me. Wrapping her arms around my midsection like she had when I first arrived she squeezed as hard as she probably could. My face heats up and I awkwardly pat her shoulder.

"So _now_ you're ready for bed Keika?" Kawasaki-san asked happily. Turning to look at her I see that Komachi and Taishi are looking at us with similar expressions of amusement. I think I blushed even more. _Hey, Komachi can do as she pleases but you're a different story kid! Wipe that smirk off your face!_

"Kei-chan, let's brush your teeth and get you dressed alright?" Kawasaki's voice came from right in front of me and I followed the sound of it. I hadn't noticed her movement at all. How long had she been that close? The look on her face as her eyes fell on me expressed nothing but gratitude.

"Okay!" letting go of me she backed up a bit before looking up and somehow her smile got even brighter. "Goodnight Haa-chan!"

I nod. "Be good alright?"

With nothing else to say, Kawasaki led her away and I was left alone there to wonder if I've done more harm than good to her.

* * *

Older women are scary. All of them are in someway really but the older ones make me feel even more...powerless.

"Well this was quite a surprise! I was just going to have Taishi help me but I guess you weren't done being generous huh?" Kawasaki-san's voice echoed slightly in the empty street. My only response being an uninterpretable groan of acknowledgement.

After Keika had been taken to bed Kawasaki-san asked me to follow her to the kitchen. Apparently she had made to-go plates that she wanted us to give to our parents. Taking them and delivering them should be an easy enough task so I had nothing to complain about. Once she secured them in a plastic bag and tied it shut she handed them to me and I in turn placed them on the counter in preparation for our departure. However, when I turned around I saw her struggling to lift a rather large white plastic bag from the ground. Surprising us both, my hands darted out as if to take it from her. _Dammit all! Has Isshiki broken me or something? The next time she asks me to carry something for her I have to refuse!_

So I was committed to carrying it for her. It turned out to be their recyclables and she was about to get Taishi to carry it to the pick up point, and of course the one they usually go to was full and the next one was a short walk down the street. It was colder than it was when we arrived and my breath hung in the air around me. I didn't really know where I was going so she came with me. I couldn't shake the feeling that she knew I made a...mistake of sorts but still took the chance to get me alone.

"You and Saki...aren't exactly friends, are you Hikigaya-kun?"

Its a curse being right so often.

"Well..." I start to say. My ideologies are hard enough to define by myself let alone to be put into spoken words. Not to mention I can't see her having a good reaction to it."...not really, but its not like we're enemies or anything. More like acquaintances."

"I see...ah, turn right here."

She's a few steps ahead of me to my left so I can't see her face to gauge her reaction. She didn't give any noticeable emotions in her voice and I don't know her well enough to know if that's a good thing. Following her, I lifted the bag a little higher and its contents shifted making the only noise besides our footsteps for a few seconds.

"Sorry for earlier. I never meant for things to get so heated. I'm sure it made you feel uncomfortable." she slowed her pace and stood shoulder to shoulder with me. I was going to offer some sort of response but she continued. "Actually...Saki and I haven't done something like that in a while. So I was pretty surprised we locked horns myself. We had some...difficulties a while ago but not so much now."

Again I give a non verbal response.

After a minute or so we came across the pick up point and I placed the bag in the container that she instructed me to. She tried to make small talk and I tried my best to humor her but it seems like she was starting to learn I just wasn't the type for such a thing. She became quiet again on the way back but the underlying feeling that she had more to say was still present. When we were almost back to the house she stopped and broke the silence again.

"You were the one that told Saki about the scholarship weren't you?"

"U-Umm yeah, it just sort of happened." I answered and hoped it would be enough. The events that led to that were a bit complicated and I wasn't sure how much Kawasaki had told her and how much she didn't want her to know.

"Don't want to talk about it? That's fine. I just..." she sighed and took a few steps closer. There wasn't much light but her attractive features were still easy to make out. Combine that with her sudden close proximity and I unconsciously took a few steps back "Its really going to help us out...no...its really going to help _her_ out."

In a blur her black hair cut through the night air and she was in a bowing position in front of me.

"Thank you. For Saki...and for Keika... _really_...thank you."

I'm so shocked by her sudden movement and declaration that I don't move at all at first, but then her words echo in my head and I shuffle my feet awkwardly. _Why did you have to say **those** words? _Clutching the front of my jacket firmly I look towards the side before speaking.

"Please stop. You've already shown plenty of gratitude. What you're doing _now_ is the kind of thing that makes me uncomfortable."

While keeping her position she looked up at me and stared through her loose hair for a second or two before smiling. Standing straight, she laughed as she adjusted her hair and clothing before looking back at me. Her eyes were hard to read but she was clearly smirking.

"You're a good kid ain't ya Hikigaya-kun?"

Nothing sounded particularly different about her voice expect for the crudeness of her words but there was something in it that I hadn't heard from her all night. I can't attach a word to it but I instinctively knew I liked it. I wouldn't call the person she had been up to that point completely fake but it was clear she was playing the role of the good host. At this moment however, I felt like I was getting a glimpse at something more genuine from her. I can't help but smirk back.

"Pretty rotten actually."

* * *

"I'll walk the two of you to the station."

Kawasaki's words briefly stop Komachi and I as we were putting our winter clothes back on. The two of us were standing at the front door and Kawasaki-san and Taishi were seeing us off. She evidently just came from upstairs in a hurry, probably in an effort to catch us before we left.

"Is that really...necessary?" Kawasaki-san asked, understandably confused.

"U-Uhh, just to be careful ya know?" Kawasaki said not sounding particularly confident in her reasoning. Which isn't surprising considering the fact that her reason to come was to bolster our numbers for safety and yet she would have to walk back alone. The small entryway became grounded in silence.

 _Come on now. Haven't we done stuff like this enough tonight?_

"I don't see why not! I get tired of having to spend so much time alone with such a bad Onii-chan anyway!" Komachi waved enthusiastically at Kawasaki. My sister has a talent for breaking tense situations when she wants to. Although I'd rather her methods didn't involve throwing me under the bus so much. Glances of confirmation fly around the room before Kawasaki-san speaks.

"Alright then. Saki don't forget-"

Kawasaki interrupts by holding up a purple jacket.

"I know. I shouldn't be long."

Kawasaki-san still seemed a bit lost but ultimately didn't put up a fight.

"Well just be careful." she said this to the room but looked directly at me with a trusting look. I inwardly cringed but nodded back anyway.

We waited a moment for Kawasaki to put on her jacket and for her mother to ask us for the third time if we still had the food we had to give to our parents. Goodbyes were exchanged and Taishi very nearly called me _that_ but was able to stop himself. That brought his total up to three for the night..ehh I'll make it three and a half. I would deliver punishment for his offenses but his mother is right there and she fed me so I'll let it slide. For now anyway.

The three of us went single file out the door. First Komachi, swinging the plastic bag in her hand happily. Then me and then Kawasaki, who locked the door behind her. Although I was just out in it a few minutes ago, the sting of the cold hits me fully and I groan. The thought of a warm bed motivates me to keep moving. I caught up to Komachi's side and Kawasaki in turn caught up to mine. I'm forever in the middle.

The station was only about a ten minute walk from the Kawasaki house. So that's how much time Kawasaki had to do whatever she was going to do. Komachi had opened the door for her but her silence told us that was as far as she would help. I considered just asking her but that felt a little too aggressive. The sizeable distance she made between us and her downcast expression told me that she probably didn't know what she was going to do, and I wasn't trying to force her hand.

Soon enough the stair case entrance to the station was in view. From my left came a dissatisfied groan but when I looked at Komachi she had nothing but a smile on her face.

"I'm going on ahead!" she proclaimed and started skipping ahead of us. After she was a few feet in front she turned back and looked at us both. Her eyes went back and forth between us until they suddenly got wide like she remembered something. Skipping back over to Kawasaki she motioned for her to lean down. I took a few steps away from them as Komachi cupped her mouth and whispered something rapidly into the taller girl's ear. Kawasaki blushed immediately.

"W-What?!" she fired back in a hushed but decently loud tone. Komachi smiled and acted like she didn't hear her before turning to skip away again.

"Oi, don't get to far from me." I tell her as she passes by.

"I know, I know." she says back as she starts going up the stairs. When she reaches the top she looks back down at me. "Don't worry! If anyone suspicious comes at me I'll scream as loud as I can and kick them in the crotch!" she demonstrates by doing a high kick in the air. When she plants her leg again she's looking back at me. A smile was still on her lips but her eyes clearly told me what she wanted to say. _Don't mess up and do something stupid Onii-chan._

 _Komachi-chaaaan, that overly aggressive style is like so not cute at all you knooooow?_

So we were left alone.

Kawasaki took the necessary few steps to stand right in front of me and we both looked at the ground. Knowing that this won't get us anywhere and with a time limit set on us by me having a train to catch, I reluctantly speak first.

"So...um..." I mutter. Alright, maybe speak isn't accurate, but I managed to produce words so it counts.

"I...uhh...thanks for...helping me with my homework." Kawasaki says in a rather defeated way. Looking up at her I see her arms are crossed in front of her chest and her eyes are firmly looking to the side.

"I told you not to worry about that. Besides, you provided dinner so I was paying you back."

She looks right at me now.

"The dinner was to thank you for what you did for Keika..."

"And I really didn't do anything...so...we're even." I can't stop myself from sounding irritated. Shoving my hands into my pockets the sudden need to leave begins to take over my thoughts. "If that's all then I need to get going. Thanks for having us over." with a small bow I turn and start to leave. I never had any intention of being so abrupt or angry but I find myself walking away before I know it.

"W-Wait! You may not want to hear it but I have to say it!"

It was a _scream._ Both in its volume and its emotion. Surprised, I turn around immediately expecting a massive glare, but instead...she's crying profusely. My knees grow weak. She clenches her teeth and starts wiping her face with her sleeve but they just keep coming. She never looked so fragile to me then in that moment. The world felt small. Like it was just the two of us and that empty sidewalk.

"If...if you hadn't been there...if...something happened to Keika I know I _wouldn't_ be able to handle it! S-So... _thank you..._ thank you so much!" her silver hair sliced through the darkness and she was bowing. Trembling she stood there hunched over as her tears kept falling. _They really are sisters. Neither of them can make things easy for me._

Without thinking, in a split second I close the distance between us. My first instinct was to reach out and touch her, but I still have too much reason to do something as bold or personal as that. I _need_ to do something though, but what can I do? What can I tell her that is actually worth anything? Its when that last question comes to me that I find an answer. The truth, or at least how I see it. That's all I can give her.

"Don't you think you're overacting a little?" I instantly grab her attention. "Kei-chan...is going to be fine. I don't say that as a lazy or generic statement but as a well thought out one. She was rattled and she grabbed on to the nearest familiar thing she saw for comfort. But kids only play with a new toy for a while before they get bored of it. They can't define it themselves but ultimately what they want most is something consistent and solid to hang onto. That's how I know she'll be fine because she has you..."

 _'I'm her big sister but she doesn't trust me to protect her'_

That thought has probably plagued her for a while and when I stop speaking to look her in the eyes. They seemed to have a flare of something like relief pass through them. But I can't stop here. I have to finish this up and leave as few loose ends as possible.

"I...didn't really do anything, but if paying me back or whatever is something you feel like you need to do then I have thought of something." I feel myself growing timid and at least to some degree embarrassed for what I'm about to say. Her look of anticipation doesn't help. "Komachi is going to start at Sobu pretty soon. I don't plan on making a big deal out of us being related. In fact its probably best if as few people know as possible. Which means it will be hard for me to keep an eye on her. So...if you ever see her in any kind of trouble, help her out. Do that and we're even."

Her downcast eyes are hard for me to see. Suddenly she looks up and aggressively rubs her face with her sleeve. When she's done her smile is easy to see in the dark.

"Sure...siscon."

I click my tongue in annoyance.

"Do you want to be the kettle or the pot?"

"Huh?"

Before she has a chance to reply more than that, the screeching sound of the train approaching fills the quiet street. The situation had gotten so heavy I almost forgot where I was. I can't miss this train. It'll be the last one tonight. I turn abruptly and head for the stairs with a steady jog. When I'm about half way up I turn and shout over my shoulder.

"Later!"

"Y-Yeah!"

When I reach the top of the stairs I take a quick glance back down at her. She's looking down with her arms at her sides and she's muttering something. I'm too far away and she's being to quiet for me to hear what she's saying but I can make out the tone of her voice. Its somber and soft.

"Are you going to be alright?" I call down to her.

Her hands turn into fists for a second before she looks up at me.

"I'll be fine. _We'll_ be fine."

I nod before turning around. The last image I see before she's out of my view is a girl taking in a sharp breath and letting it out with determination. As if she was willing herself to move on and forget something bitter.

* * *

Despite my most earnest wishes the train is still pretty crowed. Its to be expected with it being a weekend and the last train of the day, but to have your dreams shattered you must first have a dream. There are a few young people but its clear that most of the passengers are the corporate slave type. Its like I'm drowning in a sea of them, a place I vow never to be again. My inner musings distract me for a while but my mind is dragged back to the events of the night and I can't hold back an exhausted sigh.

"Come on, it wasn't that bad!" Komachi bumps my shoulder with her own. She had been pretty quiet except for a little teasing from when I first caught up to her. She knows me well enough to know that sometimes I need time to digest my thoughts.

"Things could have gone worse I suppose but it was hardly the best use of my time."

"You mean the time you would normally spend lying around doing nothing like a hopeless bum?" she retorts in a manner that reminds me that saying something in a cute voice doesn't necessarily make the words not sting.

I give another sigh. _I need to stop doing that._

"If nothing else's its reinforced my belief that social gatherings like that and heroic acts lead to unnecessarily complicated messes that I should strive to avoid." taking a moment to compile my thoughts I remember one highlight. "The food was good though."

This time Komachi sighs and shakes her head. "Just when I think you're heading in the right direction..."

She says it in a lighthearted way but I can't help but feel like I've let her down or something. Its a big brother's duty to make his little sister happy so I decided to give in a little.

"It wasn't...terrible I guess..." I offer.

She turns back to me and smiles. _Really_ smiles. As cliché as it is to say, it really does warm my heart. My closest stranger is pretty reliable. I smile back and then suddenly remember something.

"Oh, and what was with you when we first got there? You were acting kind of weird."

"Hmmm..." she puts her finger to her chin in a classic thinking stance. "I totally forgot!" she followed up with and bonked her head with her fist.

"Of course..." even with my obvious displeasure I was content with her answer. I know when its a bad idea to press her and this feels like one.

"Although..." she starts to say in a devious way. "...maybe I was jealous. I mean you were basically cheating right in front of me all night."

 _If me acting out of my brotherly instincts towards a girl younger than me counts as cheating, then I've been having a pretty long affair with a certain student council president. Ehh...that didn't sound right. Thank God I didn't say it out loud._

"C-Come on you know you're the only little sister for me."

"I know." she says with unequaled confidence. "Who else besides me would have you? Ah! The Komachi points for that were super high!"

Sighing yet again I look forward and leaned back. Listening to the sound of the train relaxed me and I sank into my seat. Maybe I've been tired for a while and was ignoring it but I felt a wave of exhaustion roll over me. The rhythmic sound around me wasn't helping and my eye lids felt heavy. Just then I felt a weight on my shoulder. Glancing to my right, I see Komachi is now using me as a pillow and her eyes are closed.

"I was happy for you. That was all." she whispers. "And if anyone gets to sleep it should be me." My eyes shoot open. I'll be damned if I have to walk home because we missed our stop. A smug look of satisfaction is clear to see on her face. _Brat, but I can't help but love her._

I was surrounded by noises. Stupid Riajuu's talking to loud, the rumble of the train, the screeching sound of it turning, but it all felt distant from me. All I heard was Komachi's steady breathing as I tried to form the words in my mind of how I would explain tonight's events to my club mates and uneasily wondered when telling them became the first thing I wanted to do.

 _ **TBC.**_

* * *

 _ **So I live.**_

 **My apologies for taking so long to update but I'm sure you've probably heard all the excuses in the world before, so listing them would be pointless. But never forget that I really appreciate all the reviews and love for this story. As I've stated before, keeping the characters in character is important for me, at least in this story, and given that it had been a while since I wrote with them I was nervous I'd get to off track. So if you feel I did that don't hesitate to let me know and I may go back and fix it.**

 **Also, since its been brought to my attention a few times now I need to address something. I'm not writing this as a HachimanxSaki story. At least not in a romantic way. Like all forms of fiction you're free to interpret it however you want of course, but that wasn't what I was going for. Or at least what I'm trying to say is that its not my endgame. I'm sorry if you feel misled and I hope you enjoy the rest of the story anyway. My shipping preference will be very clear in the next chapter and the epilogue to follow.**

 **If there are any grammatical mistakes then they should be taken care of within a few days so don't feel obligated to point them out. It hurts and it makes me cry at night. (joking of course)**

 **I think that's all for now. One more chapter and an epilogue are all that remain of this story and I will hopefully have them up much quicker then with this chapter. As always, thanks for reading and review if you feel like it.**


	6. Slowly But Surely

**Author's Note:** _Faster update than last time. Yayz.  
_

* * *

Chapter Six: Slowly But Surely, He Understands Just How Far He Has Come.

* * *

Sleep is good, this is a universal truth.

The best kind of sleep is the one where you know you have nothing to do the next day. Most of the time some event you want nothing to do with is going to happen and your thoughts are plagued by it. So that makes it hard to actually enjoy yourself and if you're like me you constantly wake up and look at the time only to see that you actually still have a few hours before you have to get up. After forcing yourself to go to sleep again you repeat the process until eventually you don't have anytime left and have to enter the cold unforgiving world. Its a bit cruel really. Those precious few hours are the only time of day that truly belong to you and yet its hard to enjoy sometimes. But I have nothing to do today, so even though my eyes open up early in the morning I feel no sense of dread. I'll simply close them again and go back to sleep.

Or at least that was the plan until I felt a vibration coming from above my head.

 _Not gonna look at it._ I declare to myself. If it was Komachi she would just bust into my room to tell me what she wanted to say. Anyone else can wait while I indulge in my well deserved rest. I begin to drift away when my phone goes off again. _Stay strong, don't look._ I turn over and find a comfortable position and jam my eyes shut. I almost fully lose consciousness when it rings _twice_ in rapid succession.

My hand slams onto my phone and I ignore the small amount of pain that comes with it as I drag it to my face.

 _ **(From:** Yuigahama **Time:** 10:00:00 AM)_

 _"Hikki, how did things go last night? :)"_

Ten exactly? Was she waiting for just the right time to send it? I move on to the next message.

 ** _(From:_** _Yuigahama_ ** _Time:_** _10:00:31 AM)_

 _"Hikki?"_

I roll my eyes. The girl has no patience. I aggressively move to the next two.

 _ **(From:** Yuigahama **Time:** 10:00:57 AM)_

 _"Message me back when you can alright?"_

 _ **(From:** Yuigahama **Time:** 10:00:59 AM)_

 _"Please?"_

I don't know how she managed it but I can actually _feel_ her pleading stare coming through with her last message. At the very least she's improved. When she first started randomly texting me she would send horribly mutilated bundles of words. After I scolded her about butchering our language she shaped up. But its to early on a Saturday for this and I'm annoyed. I hurriedly type up a response.

 _"As I expected, I was the only survivor. The bodies are buried behind Kawasaki's house. See you at school on Monday."_

I read over it again and felt satisfied. I very nearly press send but then I think better of it and erase it. I can easily picture her shocked face as she reads but it won't be like I was there to see it so nothing good would come out of it. If she saw that she'd probably message me back a few times just to confirm I was joking and then tell me a hundred times about how mean I am. So instead I'll take the smart approach and give some of what she wants without actually giving in.

 _"It was fine."_

Perfect. Send.

Placing my phone back onto its resting place I closed my eyes in one last earnest attempt to return to a blissful slumber. I know its not going to work. She's going to respond any second and that knowledge will stop me from being able to sleep. Sure enough, less then a minute goes by before it goes off again. The modern age has brought us many convenient and useful things but we also lost something in it. Even if you want to be alone and detached from the world, it won't let you.

My hand slithers upward and returns with my phone in it.

 ** _(From:_** _Yuigahama **Time:** 10:02:27 AM)_

 _"Whaaaaat?! You've got to give me more then that! You promised you'd give me details remember?! :( "_

I start creating my response quickly though I know I'll never be able to match her speed. She simply has to much practice sending pointless messages to her friends. That's the life of everyone's favorite airhead I suppose.

 _"I promised no such thing. As I recall, you simply shouted at me as I left the clubroom yesterday and I didn't respond. And even if you are going off the idea that my silence equaled recognition of your request, the time or manner of which I would give my explanation was never discussed."_

Send. That should hold her at bay for a little bit. I already decided last night that I would tell her and Yukinoshita at least some of my experiences but she has to learn that she can't be so pushy about it. I'm a wall. I don't give into the demands of cute girls so easily. Or at least...in trying to teach her a good habit I'm also trying getting rid of one of my bad ones. With a grunt of reluctance I kick the covers off and take the full blow of the cold air around me. If I wasn't awake before I am now.

I make it to my feet and surprisingly she hasn't responded. My phone was in its usual lifeless state as I stared at it. That could be very bad or very good. With my luck it'll be bad. Turning, I start dragging my feet towards the door to begin my morning routine and of course that's when it goes off. I look back at it and have a stare down. I'm trapped. If I don't respond quick enough it'll cause me trouble later but I doubt it'll say anything I want to hear. I watch its blinking light for a few seconds before dragging myself back over to it. With a sigh I grab it and take a look.

 ** _(From:_** _Yuigahama **Time:** 10:03:29 AM)_

 _"Well I guess you're right but you don't have to be so mean about it! Hey, did you hear about that new café that opened today? Yukinon and I are going there to have a study session. You should come to and tell us how it went! It'll totally be fun! :D"_

Perhaps I underestimated Yuigahama's ability to be ruthless? She knows full well I spent last night tangled in the branches of society and she wants me to do it again today? I had very serious plans of doing nothing all day, how can she expect me to cancel that? Although it is quite surprising that she would want me to interpret her alone time with Yukinoshita. Yurigahama enjoys it so much after all. I've learned that I have to be delicate with her about stuff like this. Declining in the wrong way will only make things worse in the long run so my response has to be well thought out.

 _"A newly opened place on the weekend is bound to be crowded. How do you actually expect to study if you can't even hear yourself?"_

Logic is Yuigahama's natural enemy. I'm not so much saying no but I'm pointing out why my only answer has to be no. She will of course try to find a way around it but that's a pretty high wall for her to try and scale. At the very least I've bought myself some more time once again. Or so I thought before my hand started to shake. _Is her texting skill maxed out or something? That response time is ridiculous!_ Reluctantly, I look again.

 ** _(From:_** _Yuigahama_ ** _Time:_** _10:03:45 AM)_

 _"Well that's why we have to get there as soon as possible! It opens at noon so if we hurry I know we can get a spot!"_

It should have already been clear to me but it was painfully obvious that she didn't really care about studying and was really just interested in going someplace new. The studying part probably only came about in her efforts to convince Yukinoshita to go with her. It was obvious that the Ice Queen was growing more concerned anytime Yuigahama offhandedly mentioned that she bombed a test and to be perfectly honest I am as well. I'm sure Yukinoshita's decreasing ability to say no to her probably contributed as well.

So what do I do here? If I don't try and sound absolute she'll just keep bugging me, but I don't want to seem harsh because then she'll bug me about that later. Its to early to think this much. Finally I reach a decision.

 _"Thanks for the invite but I'll pass. Have fun."_

Gracious but also straight to the point without leaving much room for debate. It'll work.

With that I place my phone on my desk and silently swear not to touch it for a little while. I feel a very primal need to leave my room come over me. As if there's a dangerous beast here that I need to avoid. I go over to my bed and start making it, which is a task I've hated since childhood. I finish in a blur and head for the door. At the _exact_ moment my hand touches the handle I hear the of to familiar vibrating noise coming from across the room. I hesitate only for a moment before opening the door and leavening in a rush.

Both my parents were called in to work over the weekend so the house is its usual state of near dead silence. After retrieving what I'll need to take a shower from the laundry room I make my way to the bathroom with ease and go about my business. I don't mind them but showers have been over romanticized as of late. Get in, get out. That's my approach. I finish at my usual pace and get dressed. Lazily I shove my toothbrush in my mouth and look at my reflection as I brush. _Ugh._ _Keika was more accurate then I thought. She'll probably be an artist._

I'm almost done when the door suddenly burst open and I nearly choke to death.

"Seriously...exchange numbers already." said a voice that is very familiar and yet not familiar at all. Familiar because its Komachi's voice, unfamiliar because it doesn't have a shred of cuteness in it and instead something close to severe loathing. After spitting in the sink I turn to look at her and through my watery eyes I see her darkened expression. She stands with one hand on her hip and the other holding her phone towards me. Gingerly I reach out to take it from her and once I have it in my grasp she leaves by turning abruptly before aggressively shutting the door behind her. I look at it and see that a call is in progress but my eyes still haven't adjusted enough and I can't make the name out.

I hesitantly put it to my ear.

"H-Hello?"

 _"...Hikigaya-kun?"_ Yukinoshita's puzzled voice answered back. Somehow I'm both relieved and put on guard.

"Yeah, its me."

Rubbing my eyes with my free hand I look around for a towel to wipe my face off. If I get Komachi's phone dirty in anyway it'll be bad.

 _"You sounded as if you were in some life or death struggle. Honestly, what trouble could you possibly get into this early in the morning?"_ she asked ever so high and mighty.

"I don't get into trouble. It finds me." I tell her sharply and switch hands so I can clean the side of my mouth. "This is unlike you. What do you want?"

 _"I see your lack of manners extends to phone etiquette as well. Though I suppose the fault is mine for expecting anything different from such a hopeless case."_ she says with a sigh.

"Kind of early in the day to be grinding your stone down don't you think? Its gonna break."

 _"Well it is **my** stone. Should I not do with it as I please?"_

I almost laughed a little until I realized how her harmless joke could be taken the wrong way. Judging by the soft sound of surprise followed by silence, I think she realized it to. I could practically feel her blush coming from the other end and the mirror in front of me confirmed I was in a similar state. The fact that we were alone in this conversation was something I was suddenly very thankful for.

 _"A-Anyway, I've reached out to you on behalf of Yuigahama-san in regards to the study session she has purposed. I had no other way of contacting you except through Komachi-san. Please apologize to her on my behalf."_

Its hard to hold back a groan.

"Surely you understand her location choice is impractical..." _Not to mention I know you're not a fan of crowds._

 _"Yes, I reminded her of that several times actually, but she is quite...determined it seems. She asked me to convince you to join us."_

I wasn't sure what was worse. The fact that Yuigahama basically sicked Yukinoshita on me or that the Ice Queen's powers have grown so weak that she actually gave into some peer pressure. Both are to be expected at this point but still.

"Well, make your case I guess."

What followed was a very well thought out speech filled with many facts. Some of which were relevant and others were cleverly disguised insults. It was clear that she took my advice from the day before and sought to improve her insulting skills. She went on for nearly five minutes before I broke.

"A-Alright, I'll go. Just please stop."

All I could hear was a satisfied sigh, but like before, her expression was easy for me to see. Smugness without equal.

 _"Well then, Yuigahama-san texted you the address of the café. I trust you won't get lost?"_

"Yeah yeah, I've already got a vague idea of the one she's talking about."

She hesitates for a moment before speaking again.

 _"I'll see you there then. Goodbye."_

With an electronic click she was gone and I was left to wallow in my defeat.

Why would they do this to me? Its not like I've done anything recently that warrants punishment. They must know me well enough by now to know that what they are asking me to do is like a torture for me right? I'm so utterly powerless in this situation. There's nothing I can do now I guess.

First things first, I need to give Komachi her phone back. She's probably mad at me because she was woken up by a call intended to reach me. After I inspect it and make sure its clean I go in search of her. I didn't need to go far as she was back in her room and judging by her only response being the snatching of her phone back followed by the slamming of her door, she was indeed mad at me. Perfect.

After returning to my room and looking at the _three_ messages Yuigahama sent me, I confirmed that I knew the place she was talking about. It was a very modern and stylish place in the middle of the shopping district. The building had previously been a book store that went under and the remodeling had taken a while which greatly increased the buzz surrounding it. Honestly, I'm surprised it hasn't been the topic of conversation in the clubroom for weeks. The place looks like its pacifically designed to lure in Yuigahama and her kind. Maybe she has wanted to talk about it but waited tell now so that I wouldn't have already drowned her in the reasons my answer would be no? Thinking about it now is pretty pointless.

Knowing Komachi, she'll eventually cool off and ask me what's up and I will have to tell her the truth. She won't let me leave the house in clothes she deems inappropriate for the event I'll be going to, so I'll beat her to the punch and pick something I know she'll find suitable. To do that I'll need to rummage through my closet for a bit. While I was in the process of pulling something from the top shelf an object fell and hit the ground next to my foot. I find the shirt that I need and toss it to my bed before looking to see what it was.

Its a regular notebook with 'People To Kill' written on the cover. It feels close in actual distance but at the same time far away from me. Like when you see something from a lost civilianization. Your brain recognizes it as something tied to this plain of existence but you also can't fathom how it was used. In short, I hadn't seen it in a while.

I reach down and start flipping through it and my eyes catch small bits of profanity laced rants scribbled in it. I reach the last entry and see that it was in May. Not even a year ago. The name placed there with such malice was none other then Yukinoshita Yukino. I stared at that name and thought about the guy who wrote it. Much like the notebook itself, he felt very far away.

"Just where did you go...I wonder..."

* * *

"Ah! Good morning Onii-chan!"

I come down stairs and am welcomed by Komachi's declaration and the smell of breakfast being made. She was standing in the kitchen busily at work when I approached her. I curse the man who will one day wake up to this sight on a regular bases.

"Don't make me anything I'm-"

"Going out?" she happily cuts me off. "I thought as much. Is that what Yukino-san wanted?"

"Pretty much." I walk over to her and present myself. "So what do you think? Up to your standards?"

I was wearing a pair of what could be called fashionable jeans and a dark blue shirt with black stripes on the shoulders that run down to the sleeves. I don't practically like either of these articles of clothing but both were gifts she lazily gave me over the years because they were quote 'just totally you' or something. The point is that it will be hard for her to dismiss them because she was the one that gave them to me. Not that it matters because I'll be wearing my jacket most of the time anyway but I don't feel like changing again.

"Hmmm." she pauses to think. "As good as its going to get for you."

 _Oi, I've taken plenty of abuse from Yukinoshita this morning. You don't have to add to it!_ I don't let my displeasure show however as I'm pretty content that she approves.

"Well I'll be going then. I don't know when I'll be back exactly so just leave whatever's for dinner in the fridge for me."

"Alright!"

I turn to leave and she returns to cooking. I'm about to leave when she speaks again and I stop without turning around.

"Kind of crazy though. My Onii-chan going to hang out with his friends on a weekend and not just for club work." her voice was pretty serious but not at all sad. "I was starting to think I'd never see something like this."

I look over my shoulder at her and she's going about her work with a warm smile. In the back of my mind I feel like correcting her by making it clear that I don't have...friends, but I can't bring myself to do it. I could only look at her with a feeling of uneasiness. That is until she looks at me again with a more devious expression.

"Oh...but shouldn't you tell Mom?"

A cold chill shakes me to my core.

When we arrived home last night a very mixed reaction greeted us. Apparently Kawasaki-san had felt the need to reach out to our parents personally and while we made our way back, she called our house right as our mother was arriving home. In the explanation I had given to my mother when I informed her of her invitation to the Kawsaki house, I _may_ have made it seem like Komachi was the one being invited by one of her friends and I was just caught in the gravity of the invitation. I told her nothing of the incident with Keika as I didn't want things to escalate more then they already had. That was somewhat of a mistake it seems.

 _"You took on a molester?! Why would you do something so dangerous?!"_

I tried to reason with her and explain I was never in any real danger but she continued to make it seem like I took on a gang of yakuza or something. My parents have a very _laissez faire_ approach to parenting. Especially in regards to me. But when I get involved in anything serious, like when I broke my leg, they suddenly become very interested in my life. My mother in particular tends to get very clingy.

 _"Its hard for me to be mad at you when I have a complete stranger tell me I raised good kids but, you can't be so reckless like that. You're young, so I expect you to take risk sometimes, but I want you to grow old some day. Keep me informed when you go out. Even if I'm at work."_

Sighing I pull out my phone and start typing. Its not a big deal. I barely go out as it is and I'm sure she'll get tired of it pretty soon and ask me to stop. My mother is the type to make several new rules in response to something big happening, but then she gets tired of following the rules herself.

 _"I'm going out. Don't know when I'll be back. Won't be late though."_

Send.

"Thanks for reminding me." I tell Komachi and put my phone back in my pocket.

"No problem! She kind of takes it out on everyone when she gets mad so I was helping myself to." she says sweetly as she finishes plating her breakfast. With that I start heading for the door and stop to put on my shoes along with my jacket. When I'm done Komachi waves at me from the dinning table and calls out.

"Have fun Onii-chan! Ah, and I'm to young to be an aunt so be safe alright?"

Not feeling like I should give a response to that I just wave back and open the door. Though it pains me to be reminded that she's old enough now to know about that stuff. _She's really going to be in high school soon huh? Time, please stop progressing!_

Just as the door shuts behind me I feel a vibration in my pocket. Surprised, I grab my phone and look at it.

 ** _(From:_** _Mom **Time:** 10:44:03 AM)_

 _"Alright. Be careful and text me when you're home. Are you hanging out with your little friend? Zai-something-kun?"_

Waves of embracing memories hit me just as the cold from the outside world hits me as well. Luckily I was able to recover fairly quickly and I started making my response.

 _"No idea who you're talking about. I'm going with my..."_

I take a second to think of the right words but then I catch myself and can't understand my actions. Club mates. Those were the words I was looking for. Words that I've used several times because its an easy way to convey my relationship with them. But in this situation my logical mind can't help but see the contradiction in those words. If I was going to a club activity it would work, but that's not the case here. We're not trying to solve an internal conflict either. Frustrated, I scramble to find something to fill the gap and I mange to do so.

 _"No idea who you're talking about. I'm going with people from school."_

I press send and start walking to clear my mind. I should take comfort in the fact that its true but I still feel troubled. The weather doesn't help. Its the kind of day that is sunny but also pretty cold. Meaning you have to deal with the sun's brightness but it doesn't help to elevate the low temperature. I block the sun with my forearm for a few steps before giving up.

"I miss my bed already..."

* * *

Standing in line is all we humans do if you think about it. It happens to everyone, in every nation, almost every day. You could say that life is just all of us waiting in line and death being the end of it. That train of thought is a little to depressing, even for my taste, but its hard to shake off with my situation being what it is.

"Hey you guys...I'm sorry. I mean...I knew it would be crowded but this is just ridiculous you know!" Yuigahama wailed.

The three of us stood on the sidewalk in the middle of a massive line that stretched from the entrance all the way down the block and around the corner. As expected, the crowd was made up of mostly high schoolers and college students eager to check the new place out. A clearly first job type of guy went down the line a little while ago and explained that the wait could be upwards of an hour. I finally knew what a sheep being thrown at hungry lions looked like when I saw his terrified face and all the backlash he received from other people in line. Nothing got violent but it came very close. _And the world still wants me to get a job?!  
_

Despite both of us warning her of something like this, Yukinoshita and myself found it hard to reprimand Yuigahama for it. She seemed so genuinely shocked and sadden by how many people actually showed up that it was hard to get mad her. Still, the mutual discomfort shared by the three of us wasn't very fun.

Yukinoshita obviously didn't like the crowd but she was trying her best not to show it. If I didn't know her as well as I do I wouldn't really think anything was wrong, but she clung to Yuigahama's side and even choose to get closer to me anytime the obnoxiously loud group of friends behind us closed in on her. Yuigahama, as mentioned before, was upset and pouting at the situation. The two of them were in their winter clothes with Yukinoshita wearing a refined white jacket and a blue denim skirt with black leggings. Yuigahama wore a rather flashy pink and purple jacket with denim shorts and black leggings as well. It was like they were deliberately matching which seems very much like something Yuigahama would ask her club president to do. I wouldn't want to go along with something so cringe worthy as wearing matching outfits with them, but one can't help but feel a little left out in this situation. I stifle a yawn before speaking.

"So how long do you want to wait?"

Yuigahama snapped her attention to me and suddenly I was on the receiving end of her pouting face.

"Oi, that's a fair question to ask given the circumstances." I explain. She looks like she really wants to refute me but knows she can't.

"It doesn't look like the line has dissipated for quite a while..." Yukinoshita adds and looks apologetically at Yuigahama. After exchanging a sad look with the other girl, Yuigahama suddenly strains to see over me. She moves back and forth and to the side to try and get a better view of the front. All the while keeping a firm grip on the bag containing her study supplies.

"There _are_ other places you know." I say and watch as she almost leans into the street.

"From your tone, I'm guessing that you know of a better location?" Yukinoshita asked with a questioning glance.

"Well, _better_ is a matter of opinion. I do know of a place near by that I can almost guarantee will be empty though."

This instantly grabs Yuigahama's attention and she glares at me, or at least she tries to. Its clear her confidence is about to break. Her eyes bounce between Yukinoshita and myself before she once again looks over me to try and see the line in front of us. When she's done she looks down at the ground with a defeated sigh.

"Ten minutes. If the line doesn't move much in the next ten minutes we'll go somewhere else okay?" she asked. Yukinoshita and I both give nods of agreement. Just then the group of friends in front of us moved forward a little. It was just enough space to take one or two steps closer to our destination so it could hardly be called progress. That fact did nothing to suppress Yuigahama's excitement though.

"Fifteen minutes! If the line doesn't move enough in fifteen minutes, then we'll go!" she proclaimed and held five fingers in the air as if to demonstrate the five extra minutes she just gave herself.

"No way. We already agreed." I told her sternly with every intent of holding my ground. Her pouting face did little to deter me and she quickly became aware of that. Swiftly she changed her focus from me and closed the distance between her and Yukinoshita. Hooking their arms together, Yuigahama smiled brightly at our club president.

"Five more minutes isn't asking for much, right Yukinon?"

Visibly surprised and embarrassed by the sudden contact, Yukinoshita blushed and looked away from the pink haired girl. Her blue eyes scanned the crowd ahead of us with contempt until her gaze fell upon me.

 _Be strong! Don't give in!_ I silently cheered her on. I wasn't sure if she knew what I was conveying but she seemed to muster up her strength a little before smiling softly at the girl hanging on to her.

"You should honor your agreements Yuigahama-san."

"Aaahhh Yukinon!" she wined and slowly pulled her arm back. Yukinoshita again smiled softly but in a way that made it clear that she had made up her mind. "I guess you're riiiiight." Yuigahama added dejectedly. She then reached into her bag and pulled out her phone. Turning slightly from us, she typed away on it with determination. It was at that moment that my questioning nature took over and I thought about why she was so set on this place. Sure going here was a very Yuigahama thing to do but was there more?

As if we could sense that we were reaching a similar conclusion, Yukinoshita and I shared a glance of understanding. She's planning something and considering how secretive she's being about it, she probably thinks we won't like it. I shoved my hands in my pockets and looked at the blue sky. For now all I could do was stand there and wait for her little plan to take shape.

* * *

If you follow the Sobu Main Line and head to the point where it roughly crosses Keiyo Road you'll find a surprisingly spacious café tucked away under an over pass. Large glass doors serve as entrances at either end making it excisable from two sides. Besides a smoking area across the street there isn't much else in the area which makes foot traffic pretty nonexistent. From what I've heard, this place use to be pretty popular. The bad location and the increase of competition saw an end to that. Now its customers are mostly shut-ins who only see the sun once a week and quiet types who want a place they can read undisturbed while having decent coffee. Needless to say, I knew the place pretty well. Though it felt like ages since I had been here.

I'd have to wait a little longer to actually enter the place however, because the three of us were still outside looking at the sign over the doorway.

"La..Lam..Lava?" Yuigahama strained to say. We each looked at the old looking yellow sign with red cursive lettering on it. She had been trying to pronounce the name for nearly a solid minute now. In that time Yukinoshita and myself had silently been conversing with our eyes. I just wanted to give her the answer right away but the Ice Queen wanted her to tough it out and struggle. Yuigahama kept at it for a little while and made no progress which caused me to give Yukinoshita a pleading look. _Come on, she's going to hurt herself!_

Placing her hand on her temple she nodded reluctantly.

" _L'amour Des Amis,_ its French."

"A-Ah! Hikki! I almost had it!" she wails and looks like she was about to add to it until a cold voice stopped her.

"Yuigahama-san, you weren't even close." Yukinoshita says with smile but the temperature around us suddenly got even lower.

"I-I guess..uhh Hikki, do you know what it means?" she says cheerfully in a clear attempt to quickly change the subject.

"I'd...rather not say..." I explain and take a side glance at Yukinoshita. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if she was fluent in French. She seemed like the type of person who could do something like that but would only let it be known once it became useful to her. Her attention wasn't on the conversation however, as she looked at the door in front of her with slight hesitation.

"Say Hikigaya-kun, are you sure this business is respectable? It seems very much like the type of place you would be fond of and that worries me."

With a click of my tongue I move over to the side a little and pull the door open.

"All we need is a place to sit down with heating. It'll do."

I expected a snarky comeback as they walk inside but the two of them just stood there and watched me hold the door for a few seconds. Then out of nowhere Yuigahama started...clapping?

"Ohhh Hikki! Good job!"

"Yes, it seems we _have_ made some progress with him." Yukinoshita added as smug as ever. Feeling very much like I was a dog who was being congratulated for learning a new trick, it took most of my strength not to slam the door shut. This can't actually be the first time I've held the door for them can it? Maybe not both at the same time but I've totally done it separately right?

"Just knock it off and get inside."

They share a laugh as they walk by me and I follow. Yuigahama goes for the large crescent shaped booth in the middle because of course she would. I wonder how long its been since someone actually sat here. Sitting there gives off the impression of being on display and the usual customers avoid it like a plague. Speaking of which, the café wasn't actually empty. There were a few people sitting in the corners reading books. The pink haired girl's loud voice causes them obvious discomfort and they stare daggers at the intruder to this kingdom of loners. _Blame her, not me please. I may have brought her here but she's the one whose oblivious to the atmosphere!_

Our college age waitress looked very much done with a day that was likely just beginning for her. We each ordered a drink and I got a bear claw because I was starting to feel the effects of skipping breakfast. We soon learned that when Yuigahama said 'study session' she really meant 'please help me with my homework', and yes, its _that_ assignment. The same one I helped Kawasaki with last night. I didn't really care though. I knew I wouldn't be of any help. Once Yukinoshita goes into full on teacher mode its best not to get in her way. That was my intention at least, but against my own advice I found myself interjecting a few times.

"Look, all I'm saying is that if she suddenly starts quoting Aristotle, Hiratsuka-sensei is going to know you did a little more then just _help."_

"I'm well aware of that Hikigaya-kun. Hiratsuka-sensei will only grow truly suspicious if Yuigahama-san's quality of work plummets with the next assignment. By making the standards high now, she will be forced to improve herself to met those standards again." Yukinoshita explains softly as her eyes look at the paper in her hand. Yuigahama looked on in terror at every word.

"Y-Yukinon that's a little extreme don't you think?" she asked and looked desperately at me for help. "That's a bit much right Hikki?!"

"Well, its surprisingly devious for Yukinoshita, but it may be the only thing to bring up your grades."

Yuigahama's response was expected.

"Awww you guys are ganging up on me again!"

"I-Its not like that..." I offer up. _We're not making a conscientious effort or anything._ Yukinoshita placed the paper in front of Yuigahama, she had the air of being very dismissive of any time wasting.

"Yuigahama-san, please rewrite this section here and-" her business like voice is interrupted by the vibration of Yuigahama's phone.

"Ahh Sorry! Sorry!" she bowed slightly to Yukinoshita before reaching into her bag and dragging out her phone. After moving it under the table she looked at the screen before her thumb danced along the keypad. If this was the first time it wouldn't be that big of a deal, but it had happened multiple times since we arrived. It was pretty surprising. Yuigahama holds Yukinoshita in very high regard and is usually very appreciative of any help she receives from her. It wasn't like she was completely blowing her off but she doesn't even do this in their pointless conversations in the clubroom. Frustration is apparent on the raven haired girl's face.

"That's _very_ rude..."

In response Yuigahama quickly finished typing and shoved her phone back into her bag.

"I know, I'm sorry Yukinon! I just keep getting slammed with text and...it would be rude not respond fast...right?" at this point her hands were clasp together and she looked like she was praying at a shrine. I'm sure Yukinoshita must feel a little good being treated like a deity and as a result her expression softened.

"Wait until we reach a stopping point next time alright?"

With a vigorous nod Yuigahama agreed. My eyes met a pair of blue ones and mutually understood. _Whatever it is, its happening soon._

They continued on and I enjoyed my second coffee. Their voices and the soft classical music that was being played were the only noises I heard for a while. Strangely I found myself being content. Its not that different from the time we spend together in the clubroom. My gaze went to the doorway and I watched the sunlight reflect off the glass. It looks welcoming but I know the outside is much colder then it appears. Just then my eyes are drawn to movement across the street and to the person creating it. _That long hair and those...umm...proportions, yes there's no mistake._

"I'm going to stretch my legs a bit." I announce and stand up. They both look a little surprised.

"You're not ditching us right Hikki?"

"You don't intend to leave us with your bill do you?"

I grit my teeth with annoyance but still try to sound reassuring.

"I'll come back."

I turn and leave the two of them there. We've only been here for forty minutes at most and yet my legs were stiff which makes the walking feel refreshing. I awkwardly explained to our waitress that I wasn't skipping out on the bill and that I'd be back. She didn't seemed convinced but was to disinterested to do much about it. I walk out the same doors we came in and somehow I think its a little colder. I waste little time and get across the street before stopping at the entrance to the smoking area.

"Yo, Sensei."

Hiratsuka-sensei was sitting with one hand holding her phone and the other placing a cigarette into her mouth when she looked up at me. She looks taken aback at my presence at first but then smiles.

"I'd expect you to be sound asleep at this time. How are you Hikigaya?"

Putting her phone into her pocket she stands up and looks at me eagerly.

"I'm alive I guess." I answer. She laughed a little before speaking.

"They dragged you outside didn't they?" she asked before lighting her cigarette and taking a drag off it. I took note of her appearance then. She was wearing a small black coat and from what I could tell a black dress underneath that was somewhat reserved but didn't shy away from showing off her curves either. Despite her energetic voice she looked tired. Almost like she hadn't slept in a while. It was then that I remembered the nature of the event she mentioned she would be going to and I started to get slightly worried.

"Umm...Sensei...how was the mixer?"

Almost like she had been stabbed, she made a quick grunt like noise and hung her head in dismay. I could've guessed that things didn't go very well but was it _that_ terrible? I feel bad for asking. Before I have a chance to change the topic she slowly holds up three fingers.

"Three minutes...I was three minutes late. So walking in after everyone had already introduced themselves was brutal. Not to mention one of the guys cancelled so there was an odd number. I ended up just sitting there in the corner drinking. I mean _sure_ some of the guys would come over and talk to me but I could tell it was just out of pity. They had all decided on who they planned to pursue." as she speaks a dark shadow envelops her but then suddenly disappears as her hand forms a fist. "But then I thought 'to hell with this!' and I got out of there are started a bar crawl!"

Triumphantly keeping her pose she looked to the sky for a few seconds before relaxing her stances.

"Are you...still on that bar crawl?" I ask.

"Well I did take a bit of a break around four when I went to a ramen stand. So I suppose you could say it hasn't been continuous. I was going to head home but I wanted a smoke so I made my way here." she took another drag. "I may make it seem glamorous but promise me you'll never start. I'm sure it will cause me trouble later in life." she told me and motioned to the nearly gone cigarette in her hand.

I felt like reminding her that its not exactly heathy for someone her age to go so long with out sleep either, but I knew better.

"You may think the dating game is rough for you kids but trust me, its worse for adults." there was a sadness to her statement that I didn't expect. Someone like her really shouldn't have trouble finding a partner in this day and age if you think about it. She's beautiful and has a stable job. Those two things should line up dozens of potential suitors, but only those who are seeking to get married and start a family because its what adults are 'suppose' to do. Beneath it all, Hiratsuka-sensei is kind of a romantic. She's still looking for _it_ and doesn't just want someone to share bills with. _If I was even **five** years older..._

"But enough about me. What's bothering you?"

I don't know if I should be scared or comforted by the fact that she can read me so well. I don't believe in fate but even I get lucky sometimes. Her presence here proves that much. I've thought about it incisively and still haven't found the cure for the bad taste that's been in my mouth recently. Not wasting anytime in asking how she knew, I told her the abridged versions of the events that took place over the last few days.

"Ahhh, so that was _you_." she said once I was done.

"You make it sound like _I'm_ the criminal!" she chuckles softly at this before putting her cigarette out. She didn't seemed surprised by what happened but by the fact I was involved which told me she knew about the event but not the details. It wouldn't be surprising if a rumor had reached her and yet she seemed a little to unfazed. "How did you hear about it?"

"Hmm? Oh, a detective came by and talked to the staff about it. They gave us the usual; be alert for any suspicious characters, encourage the students to travel in groups, stuff like that. They told us one of our male students got involved but they weren't allowed to give a name. I guess that's one mystery solved huh?" she explained. "We knew better then to make a big deal out it though. People panic to easily. If we went on high alert we'd be flooded with calls from overly concerned parents."

"Makes sense." I grumble.

"Don't be like that..." she started to say before giving a thumbs up. "You did very good! Keep it up!" she said with so much enthusiasm that it was almost embarrassing.

"Where the hell did that come from?" I asked and took a small step backwards. Even when she was giving encouragement she felt to forceful. To this she put her finger in the air and took a very teacher like stance.

"Positive reinforcement! Its important to praise students for good behavior and achievements in order to encourage similar results in the future." she said like she was reading from a text book. "At least that's what they teach _us._ Though if you ask me, it depends on the student." she takes a cheerful glance at me before rummaging through her purse for another cigarette. After lighting it she looks back to me. "So, what seems to be the problem? Sounds like everything worked out great to me."

Despite forming the words in my head multiple times beforehand, I stumbled with how to say them.

"O-Of course I'm glad nothing happened, but the more I've thought about it, the more I wish no one knew it was me. It would be better that way. No one would have someone to thank or feel indebted to, but Keika would still be safe. That's all that matters." I take a second to catch my breath. Its not like I'm losing it but I'm getting more motional then I thought I would. I don't dare look at her face to see her reaction. I may not be able to say everything if I do. I press on.

"I understand them wanting to thank me, but the whole thing has gotten me to wonder about gratitude in general. People can't equally give each other things like this. A small gesture can mean nothing to someone and everything to someone else. You can't make things equal between the two. Someone always feels indebted or cheated. I don't like the idea that I was rewarded for doing what I did either. It...almost cheapens it somehow, to me at least. It makes it feel like a good deed and the reward that comes with it are as soulless as the exchange of money for goods. Not that I think I did anything great." I stop again and this time I look at her. She's in a fairly stern stance with her arms crossed. Its clear her focus is completely on me and my words. I keep going.

"And that's another thing. I didn't really do anything. I never felt like I was putting myself in danger. So its not like there was a risk for me. But...the more I think about that, the more it makes me wonder. If I hadn't known her would I still have done something? I hate that I can't answer that without being one hundred percent curtain. Also..." this is the hard part. For the first time since I started speaking, my voice could be described as strained. "...would the me of before had done anything?" I _hate_ thinking about that question. Dwelling in the past is meaningless and painful after all.

I let my question hang in the air. I have nothing to follow it up with. It felt like I got most of it off my chest which makes me feel relieved, if only a little. I still try to quickly compose myself.

"S-Sorry, I didn't mean to rant like that." I mumble and look to the side. Its hard to speak about personal matters and yet I find myself doing it more and more. She laughs softly.

"Never apologize for venting your frustrations to me. That's part of a teachers job, even on their day off." She takes a few steps towards me and gets ride of the distance I created. "Besides, when I think back to the time I could barely get grunts out of you, it makes me feel accomplished."

She looked to the sky for a moment. My best guess is that she's gathering her thoughts. With a bitter laugh she looked back to me.

"Only you Hikigaya could take something like this, deconstruct it, and make yourself miserable."

"Miserable is a strong word...bothered would be more accurate." I counter. Her look of annoyance tells me not to interrupt again.

"The point I'm trying to make is that you're overthinking things again. While a lot of the things you've said are true...this time its more simple then you think. You did a _good_ thing Hikigaya. The sad truth is that the world can be pretty cruel and not everyone would have done what you did. So its okay for you to receive a little compensation for it, especially considering that you asked for none of it." she looks me in the eyes and I flitch. "But your material gains aren't what's really bothering you is it? Its the emotional ones right? The praise you received and the fact that the people who know what you've done may see you in a better light because of it. You're afraid receiving those things through those means makes them not real."

She was able to do what I couldn't by putting how I felt into words.

"Simply telling you 'that's not true' wouldn't really work because you have to come to your own conclusion about this. Think about it and struggle with it. That's the best advice I can give you. I will say this though, wondering what the you of yesterday would have done is pointless because that's a question you'll never find the answer to. You're the you of today and that other guy is gone forever. You've...changed, but you shouldn't feel resentment towards that. It was a slow burn. Change is only universally bad if its instantaneous." she smiles before placing her hand in front of her mouth to hold back a yawn. "I think my well of knowledge is just about tapped for now,but I'll leave you with this; someone who sees through everything is essentially blind. Remember that alright?"

"I guess I'll have to improve my hearing then." I smirk. With a roll of the eyes she puts her hand in front of my face and flicks my forehead.

"I don't have time for your smartass remarks. I need to leave and start nursing the headache that I'm sure is on its way." she said with an overly dramatic sigh and placed her hand to her temple. I know she said it jokingly but I did realize that I had been keeping her.

"S-Sorry, you probably want to go home right? Thanks for...hearing me out."

She brushed my gratitude off with a wave of her hand.

"Anytime. Have I restored your peace of mind?" she asked and tossed her finished cigarette into the near by can.

"A little at least."

"Good. Now then, I don't want to keep you from your _friends._ " she smiles and I click my tongue in response to her jab. All I can do is look away aggressively. I know there's no point in trying to strike back right now anyway. I was content with leaving things like that but then I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Seriously...I'm proud."

Her voice had determination in it but still plenty of softness. My eyes stay firmly on the ground as I nod gently. My face and chest heat up as well. She waits for me to look her in the eyes before removing her hand and giving me a look of reassurance.

"Do you need me to give you a ride? My car is parked near by."

"No, we're just across the street." I explain by pointing my thumb at the café behind me. Her hair sways a little as she leans to the right so she can see past me.

"Such a big group, that's not like you."

"...huh?"

Snapping my head around I see that the area around the booth my club mates and I were sharing has become much more crowded. From my limited view I could make out many familiar faces engaging in some kind of discussion that seemed...strained. There was a foxy kouhai who for once seemed content not to butt in. Next to her was a blonde girl with tsundere tendencies who seemed to be on the losing side of a conversation with a very annoyed looking Yukinoshita. Besides them was a blonde guy with a well practiced, but ultimately fake smile, who was trying to play referee. Behind him stood a slow looking and slow acting guy with long hair. Over to the side a heathy distance away from the action stood a self-proclaimed rotten girl who I once gave a false confession to. By her side was a delinquent looking girl who seemed disinterested in what was going on but still held something along the lines of disappointment in her expression.

As this goes on, Yuigahama keeps looking around nervously. Particularly making sure to keep her eyes on the door I came out of.

"Have fun. I'll see you on Monday!"

Following the sound of her voice I see that Hiratsuka-sensei is already half way down the sidewalk. She holds her hand up in the air as she walks away with her back to me. _So you'll just throw me in the water and see if I can swim then?_

Honestly, I felt like just going home at that point, but there was the issue of my unpaid bill and my promise to return. If it wasn't for those two things I would gladly avoid that mess across the street. Well...that's not entirely true. I can't image Yuigahama told Yukinoshita about this. So she and I were both blindsided by this situation. It seemed only right that I take my share of the misery. Plus, it will give me leverage the next time Yuigahama ask me to do something I don't want to do. _Remember that time you made me spend time with your friends and I **didn't** bail on you?_

With little enthusiasm I dragged my feet towards the glass door. Getting out of the cold would likely be the only positive thing I'd fine once I get back inside. Glancing at the old yellow sign as I reach for the handle, I feel the spiteful stab of irony. Its like its mocking me. I wish I had never let curiosity get the better of me and looked up what it meant.

 _"Love of friends"_

 ** _TBC._**

* * *

 **So...I kind of lied.**

 **When I started writing this I had every intention of making it the last chapter. But well...in the long break between chapters four and five I had a lot of time to think about the details of what I wanted to write and how I wanted to end this story. Those ideas stewed in my head and became more elaborate (and hopefully better) then I originally intended. So as I started to write this chapter I reached what I thought of as the midway point and saw that it was already roughly the size of chapter five. I've never liked making chapters to long because I feel like they drag on to much. And yes I know that compared to other stories its not that long but thats just how I felt. Sooooo I decided to split what I originally intended to be one chapter into two. So you're getting another chapter after this, as well as an epilogue.**

 **Also, while I did do some research, I have taken a lot of liberties with the geography of Chiba. So please don't start thinking its actually arcuate.**

 **On a side note, thank you HachimanxSaki fans for not finding where I live and burning down my house. That means a lot. Seriously though, still sorry if you felt mislead and glad if you stayed with me.**

 **And if you care to know, "All These Things I've Done" by The Killers is the unofficial theme song of this chapter because I think I listened to it about a hundred times while writing it.**

 **Other than that all I have is the usual: Tried to keep the characters in character and hope they are, possible grammar mistakes that should be fixed soon, review if you like and I thank you for any feedback. :)**


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